Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Asahikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Asahikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,233 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,909 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,584 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.90 ¥1,121

17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$35.17 ¥5,714

38.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.23 ¥850

4.78%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.14 ¥510

14.65%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.09 ¥177

16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.79 ¥128

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.65 ¥431

53.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.03 ¥492

79.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.53 ¥249

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.58 ¥257

-4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.87 ¥792

9.65%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.29 ¥371

1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.97 ¥1,620

60.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.31 ¥1,026

28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.27 ¥2,482

47.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.34 ¥868

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.92 ¥637

51.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.85 ¥951

3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.13 ¥509

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.69 ¥437

26.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.35 ¥219

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.89 ¥145

-2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.22 ¥685

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$8.69 ¥1,412

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.85 ¥301

10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.26 ¥368

26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.67 ¥272

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.9 ¥9,080

51.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.39 ¥551

-0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.03 ¥492

-3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.06 ¥3,422

24.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.23 ¥201

-2.44%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

3.04%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.6K ¥2.9M

-2.05%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$144 ¥23.3K

16.72%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.32 ¥4,439

-5.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.88 ¥5,505

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.3 ¥9,144

26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$14.07 ¥2,286

43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.69 ¥2,063

2.99%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$287 ¥46.6K

72.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

15.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.11 ¥7,004

42.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.89 ¥4,856

39.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$60.0 ¥9,747

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$91.3 ¥14.8K

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$466 ¥75.6K

140.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$333 ¥54.1K

82.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$857 ¥139.2K

212.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$652 ¥105.9K

105.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,280 ¥695.4K

141.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,320 ¥376.9K

114.95%

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 Asahikawa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $466 in Asahikawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $316 – making Asahikawa 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 Asahikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,233 in Asahikawa – roughly 38% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,849 in Asahikawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $495 per month in Tokyo and $287 in Asahikawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,233 in Asahikawa to $1,701 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Asahikawa. 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.