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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,157 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,869 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,581 in Atsugi.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 47% more expensive than in Atsugi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Atsugi is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$8.49 ¥1,380

-4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$28.21 ¥4,583

72.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$6.41 ¥1,041

-14.51%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$2.12 ¥344

69.81%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.02 ¥166

24.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.71 ¥116

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.89 ¥470

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.05 ¥496

78.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.81 ¥293

-16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.82 ¥782

10.79%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.10 ¥341

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$17.67 ¥2,871

-9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$4.87 ¥792

66.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.30 ¥2,485

47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.79 ¥940

-4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.07 ¥336

25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.10 ¥667

44.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$2.88 ¥468

110.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.65 ¥430

22.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.01 ¥326

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.32 ¥214

9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.51 ¥571

21.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.30 ¥1,512

0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.76 ¥286

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.30 ¥373

24.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$2.93 ¥476

-49.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$47.84 ¥7,772

76.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.37 ¥548

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.01 ¥489

-3.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$10.28 ¥1,670

155.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.19 ¥193

0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$14.0K ¥2.3M

68.34%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

2.28%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$141 ¥22.9K

18.92%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$15.79 ¥2,566

63.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.83 ¥5,497

-0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$68.3 ¥11.1K

3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.80 ¥2,242

46.74%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.33 ¥2,003

6.00%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$345 ¥56.1K

43.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$6,736 ¥1.1M

133.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.04 ¥6,831

46.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$25.32 ¥4,114

64.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$55.0 ¥8,934

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$34.87 ¥5,666

161.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$409 ¥66.5K

173.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$282 ¥45.8K

114.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$874 ¥142.0K

206.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$661 ¥107.4K

103.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$3,688 ¥599.2K

-36.84%

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 Atsugi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $409 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $28.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $317 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,157 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Atsugi. 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $409 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 $28.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,701 per month in Tokyo versus $1,157 in Atsugi – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,157 in Atsugi versus $1,701 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 47% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.