Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Akita Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Akita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,235 in Akita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,965 in Akita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,695 in Akita, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 35% more than Akita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Akita is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,189

$6.61 ¥1,036

14.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,117

$32.99 ¥5,175

18.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥805

$4.90 ¥769

4.69%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥589

$3.62 ¥567

3.87%

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

$1.67 ¥262

$1.02 ¥160

63.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.81 ¥127

9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥628

$1.95 ¥306

105.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥831

$3.28 ¥515

61.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥242

$1.55 ¥243

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥251

$1.53 ¥241

4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥918

$3.65 ¥573

60.27%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥354

$2.09 ¥328

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,676

$12.37 ¥1,941

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,196

$6.50 ¥1,019

17.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,982

$15.35 ¥2,407

23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥775

$4.62 ¥724

6.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥371

$2.41 ¥379

-1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥681

$3.08 ¥484

40.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥863

$3.81 ¥598

44.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥529

$2.81 ¥441

19.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥499

$2.14 ¥336

48.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥187

$1.31 ¥206

-9.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.81 ¥127

6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥625

$3.89 ¥610

2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,556

$7.33 ¥1,149

35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥278

$2.04 ¥319

-13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥446

$2.12 ¥332

33.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥200

$1.49 ¥233

-14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.4K

$58.7 ¥9,203

23.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥502

$3.51 ¥551

-8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥516

$2.86 ¥449

15.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥3,004

$22.36 ¥3,507

-14.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.36 ¥214

-19.85%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

-0.02%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

1.76%

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

$158 ¥24.7K

$133 ¥20.9K

18.35%

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

$22.59 ¥3,544

$24.57 ¥3,854

-8.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,896

$31.96 ¥5,014

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$53.9 ¥8,447

20.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,076

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,046

$12.45 ¥1,952

4.74%

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

$1,395 ¥218.8K

$551 ¥86.5K

152.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$11.8K ¥1.8M

56.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,491

$43.20 ¥6,776

25.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,295

$32.49 ¥5,097

3.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$87.2 ¥13.7K

-25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.4K

$93.2 ¥14.6K

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥200.6K

$507 ¥79.6K

152.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥108.2K

$336 ¥52.7K

105.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥390.2K

$1,055 ¥165.4K

135.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.9K

$751 ¥117.9K

89.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,700 ¥580.4K

149.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥704.5K

$1,762 ¥276.3K

154.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥478.3K

$1,633 ¥256.1K

86.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

2.09

-7.18%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Akita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $507 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 87% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo versus $33.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $295 – making Akita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tokyo vs Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 35% more than Akita, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Tokyo and $1,852 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,395 per month in Tokyo and $551 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Tokyo at $1,665. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,235 versus $1,665 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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