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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,210 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,941 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,673 in Asahikawa, rent included.

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

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,184

$6.68 ¥1,043

13.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,091

$32.85 ¥5,130

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥802

$5.18 ¥809

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥587

$3.03 ¥474

24.09%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$1.03 ¥161

62.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.75 ¥117

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥626

$2.31 ¥361

73.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥828

$3.44 ¥537

54.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.45 ¥226

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.46 ¥228

9.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥914

$4.30 ¥672

36.05%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$1.89 ¥294

19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,669

$10.82 ¥1,689

-1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,191

$6.84 ¥1,068

11.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,969

$15.80 ¥2,468

20.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥772

$5.68 ¥887

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$2.27 ¥355

4.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$2.86 ¥447

51.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥860

$4.32 ¥674

27.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥527

$2.90 ¥454

16.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥497

$2.59 ¥405

22.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.38 ¥215

-13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.74 ¥116

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥622

$4.41 ¥689

-9.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,549

$8.11 ¥1,267

22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥277

$1.85 ¥289

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥444

$2.17 ¥339

30.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$1.61 ¥252

-21.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$61.9 ¥9,672

16.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.88 ¥451

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥514

$3.14 ¥491

4.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,991

$18.83 ¥2,941

1.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.24 ¥194

-12.10%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

1.38%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$13.8K ¥2.1M

13.18%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$145 ¥22.6K

8.63%

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

$22.59 ¥3,529

$22.25 ¥3,474

1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,875

$36.34 ¥5,676

-14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$47.40 ¥7,402

37.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,037

$10.54 ¥1,646

23.72%

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

$1,395 ¥217.8K

$607 ¥94.8K

129.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

38.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,454

$57.8 ¥9,018

-6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,272

$35.96 ¥5,616

-6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$61.8 ¥9,647

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$86.3 ¥13.5K

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.7K

$491 ¥76.6K

160.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.8K

$296 ¥46.2K

133.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.5K

$971 ¥151.7K

156.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.0K

$710 ¥110.9K

100.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,277 ¥511.8K

181.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥701.4K

$1,817 ¥283.7K

147.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥476.2K

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 Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $491 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $33.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $301 – 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: $1,665 in Tokyo, $1,210 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 $2,498 per month in Tokyo and $1,814 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 17% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,395 per month in Tokyo and $607 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 $1,210, than in Tokyo at $1,665. 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 $1,210 in Asahikawa to $1,665 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.