Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Atsugi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Atsugi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,166 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,863 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,560 in Atsugi.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 44% more expensive than Atsugi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Atsugi is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.19 ¥1,310

-1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$27.23 ¥4,355

77.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.36 ¥1,017

-10.53%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.02 ¥324

76.73%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.05 ¥168

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥121

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.93 ¥469

45.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.15 ¥505

68.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.67 ¥268

-5.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.81 ¥290

-12.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.95 ¥792

7.47%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.16 ¥346

11.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$17.46 ¥2,793

-8.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$4.73 ¥756

65.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.75 ¥2,520

47.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.64 ¥902

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.09 ¥334

22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.10 ¥656

39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$2.98 ¥476

100.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.63 ¥420

22.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.02 ¥322

73.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.33 ¥212

11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.94 ¥150

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.49 ¥558

22.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.24 ¥1,478

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.78 ¥285

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.36 ¥378

22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$2.90 ¥464

-48.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$48.59 ¥7,772

74.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.56 ¥570

-1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.02 ¥483

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$10.33 ¥1,652

159.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥191

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

69.98%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

4.57%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$143 ¥22.9K

14.50%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$15.29 ¥2,446

74.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.50 ¥5,358

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$68.6 ¥11.0K

0.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.98 ¥2,236

43.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.27 ¥1,962

6.44%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$343 ¥54.8K

47.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$6,697 ¥1.1M

133.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.62 ¥6,817

40.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$25.52 ¥4,081

57.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$55.9 ¥8,937

15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$34.15 ¥5,462

167.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$421 ¥67.4K

159.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$275 ¥44.0K

116.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$861 ¥137.7K

203.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$650 ¥103.9K

106.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$3,656 ¥584.7K

-31.58%

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 Atsugi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $421 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $27.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $319 per month, with Atsugi 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 Atsugi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Atsugi differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,166 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Atsugi earns 46% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $421 in Atsugi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Atsugi – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,684 per month in Tokyo versus $1,166 in Atsugi – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,166 in Atsugi versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Atsugi but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Atsugi 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 Atsugi 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 Atsugi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.