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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,260 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,930 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,600 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 34% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,297

$7.03 ¥1,128

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,743

$34.30 ¥5,498

40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥912

$5.26 ¥843

8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥572

$3.05 ¥489

17.05%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.10 ¥176

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥120

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥682

$2.67 ¥428

59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥850

$3.21 ¥515

65.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.57 ¥252

0.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.60 ¥256

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥853

$4.76 ¥763

11.76%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.19 ¥351

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,571

$10.01 ¥1,605

60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,258

$6.46 ¥1,036

21.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,712

$15.45 ¥2,476

49.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥838

$5.38 ¥862

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.52 ¥403

1.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥919

$3.92 ¥628

46.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥957

$5.85 ¥938

2.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥515

$3.00 ¥481

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥563

$2.57 ¥411

36.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.34 ¥214

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.85 ¥135

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥685

$4.15 ¥665

2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,505

$8.30 ¥1,330

13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥344

$1.93 ¥309

11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥462

$2.15 ¥344

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥256

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.4 ¥8,873

53.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥560

$3.45 ¥552

1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥459

$2.88 ¥462

-0.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,291

$20.60 ¥3,301

29.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ¥199

-1.61%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

2.81%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

-0.41%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$144 ¥23.1K

13.35%

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

$26.63 ¥4,268

$26.66 ¥4,274

-0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,440

$33.80 ¥5,418

0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.1K

$54.9 ¥8,806

25.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,224

$13.62 ¥2,183

47.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,093

$12.65 ¥2,028

3.24%

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

$506 ¥81.1K

$278 ¥44.6K

81.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

15.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,632

$43.37 ¥6,952

38.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,462

$29.90 ¥4,792

34.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.4K

$60.3 ¥9,669

7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$91.8 ¥14.7K

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.3K

$463 ¥74.2K

136.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.6K

$335 ¥53.7K

77.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥418.3K

$870 ¥139.4K

200.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.6K

$670 ¥107.4K

99.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,829 ¥774.1K

123.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥797.3K

$2,679 ¥429.4K

85.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Asahikawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $463 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Asahikawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $315 – 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: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,260 in Asahikawa – roughly 34% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,890 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 53% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $278 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 $1,260, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,260 in Asahikawa to $1,684 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.