Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Aomori Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Aomori

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,244 in Aomori.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,949 in Aomori.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,654 in Aomori.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 37% more expensive than in Aomori, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Aomori is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.77 ¥1,100

19.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.28 ¥5,569

42.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.49 ¥892

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.08 ¥500

16.88%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.10 ¥178

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.77 ¥125

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.63 ¥428

55.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.18 ¥517

71.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.54 ¥251

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.59 ¥259

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.67 ¥758

14.35%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.28 ¥370

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.96 ¥1,619

60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.53 ¥1,061

24.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.68 ¥2,547

43.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.51 ¥896

0.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.54 ¥413

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.95 ¥642

49.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$6.03 ¥980

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.01 ¥489

7.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.61 ¥424

29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.34 ¥218

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.83 ¥135

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.08 ¥662

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$8.71 ¥1,415

6.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.83 ¥297

12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.27 ¥370

26.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.60 ¥259

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.2 ¥8,964

53.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.52 ¥572

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.98 ¥485

-2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.14 ¥3,435

24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.13 ¥183

6.19%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.71%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

1.69%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$144 ¥23.4K

16.22%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.20 ¥4,420

-5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$34.18 ¥5,553

-1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.4 ¥9,166

25.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.91 ¥2,261

45.58%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.34 ¥2,006

5.92%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$283 ¥46.0K

74.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

15.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.60 ¥6,921

44.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$28.88 ¥4,693

44.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$59.5 ¥9,673

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$91.5 ¥14.9K

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$470 ¥76.3K

138.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$332 ¥53.9K

82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$880 ¥142.9K

204.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$654 ¥106.3K

105.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,042 ¥656.7K

156.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,855 ¥301.4K

168.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aomori: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $470 in Aomori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $34.00 in Aomori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $318 per month, with Aomori cheaper across the board.

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 Aomori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Aomori differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,244 including rent). Aomori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,552 in Tokyo and $1,865 in Aomori to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $470 in Aomori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $283 in Aomori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,244 in Aomori versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aomori but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Aomori the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Aomori are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aomori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.