Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Akita

For one person, living is cheaper in Akita: $1,229 a month against $1,686 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Akita
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Akita Living Index

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Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,686

/mo nomad

Akita

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,229

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Akita

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Akita actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,686 per month in Tokyo vs $1,229 in Akita, rent included.

Tokyo $1,686
Akita $1,229

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,929 in Akita, rent included.

Tokyo $2,604
Akita $1,929

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Tokyo vs $2,630 in Akita, rent included.

Tokyo $3,522
Akita $2,630

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Akita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tokyo sits 25% above the global median, while Akita is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 ¥1,208

$6.49 ¥1,022

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.82 ¥5,957

$32.30 ¥5,087

17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥819

$4.91 ¥773

5.91%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ¥581

$3.59 ¥565

2.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥266

$0.93 ¥146

81.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.82 ¥129

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ¥594

$1.85 ¥292

103.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 ¥894

$3.18 ¥501

78.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥242

$1.53 ¥242

0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥266

$1.57 ¥248

7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 ¥869

$4.28 ¥674

28.97%

Eggs

$2.29 ¥361

$2.14 ¥337

7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ¥1,762

$10.25 ¥1,615

9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 ¥1,073

$6.42 ¥1,010

6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 ¥2,700

$16.74 ¥2,636

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ¥718

$3.82 ¥601

19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ¥346

$2.38 ¥374

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ¥674

$2.95 ¥465

45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 ¥795

$4.30 ¥678

17.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 ¥492

$2.48 ¥390

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ¥458

$2.47 ¥389

17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ¥189

$1.24 ¥196

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.84 ¥133

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ¥635

$3.98 ¥627

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 ¥1,520

$6.78 ¥1,068

42.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥263

$1.87 ¥295

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ¥443

$2.11 ¥332

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ¥195

$1.48 ¥233

-16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 ¥9,987

$57.8 ¥9,103

9.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ¥511

$3.18 ¥501

1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 ¥490

$2.88 ¥454

7.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.81 ¥2,963

$18.62 ¥2,933

1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥173

$1.33 ¥210

-17.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.7K ¥3.6M

$22.2K ¥3.5M

2.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$15.5K ¥2.4M

-1.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$159 ¥25.1K

$134 ¥21.1K

18.80%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.73 ¥3,737

$24.28 ¥3,825

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.06 ¥4,735

$31.40 ¥4,945

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥9,218

$51.0 ¥8,038

14.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.75 ¥4,056

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 ¥2,090

$12.92 ¥2,035

2.71%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,423 ¥224.2K

$688 ¥108.4K

106.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥3.7M

$12.5K ¥2.0M

88.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ¥8,617

$42.42 ¥6,681

28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 ¥5,128

$46.16 ¥7,270

-29.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.2K

$88.5 ¥13.9K

-26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ¥11.5K

$89.5 ¥14.1K

-18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ¥206.0K

$556 ¥87.5K

135.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ¥112.5K

$337 ¥53.2K

111.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 ¥421.4K

$1,032 ¥162.6K

159.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 ¥224.2K

$721 ¥113.6K

97.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K ¥1.7M

$4,281 ¥674.3K

158.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,530 ¥870.9K

$2,350 ¥370.2K

135.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,845 ¥448.1K

$1,655 ¥260.7K

71.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.25

2.21

1.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: November 2, 2026

Last update for Akita: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tokyo

$714 42.4%

Akita

$337 27.5% 52.8% $377

Groceries & Markets

Tokyo

$323 19.2%

Akita

$291 23.7% 10% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tokyo

$213 12.6%

Akita

$190 15.4% 10.9% $23

Eating Out

Tokyo

$162 9.6%

Akita

$132 10.8% 18.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Tokyo

$101 6%

Akita

$120 9.8% 18.5% $19

Getting Around

Tokyo

$87 5.2%

Akita

$81 6.6% 6.7% $5.8

Sport & Entertainment

Tokyo

$85 5.1%

Akita

$77 6.3% 9.6% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,308 in Tokyo versus $556 in Akita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 72% higher in Tokyo. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tokyo versus $32 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $291 – making Akita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🇯🇵 Akita

🕒 Local time

15:18 3:18 PM

Same time as Tokyo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,613,660 Capital

307,672

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.66 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tokyo vs Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Akita, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,529 per month in Tokyo and $1,843 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $556 there versus $1,308 in Tokyo.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,423 per month in Tokyo and $688 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,686 in Tokyo and $1,229 in Akita. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Akita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Akita. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.