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: $1,665 in Tokyo versus $1,142 in Atsugi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Tokyo versus $2,094 in Atsugi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Tokyo versus $3,045 in Atsugi.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 46% more expensive than in Atsugi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 22% above, Atsugi is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,184

$8.06 ¥1,258

-5.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,091

$26.28 ¥4,103

48.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥802

$5.30 ¥828

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥587

$1.88 ¥294

100.00%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$1.00 ¥157

67.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.73 ¥115

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥626

$2.67 ¥417

50.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥828

$3.27 ¥511

62.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.59 ¥249

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.59 ¥249

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥914

$4.30 ¥672

36.05%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$2.03 ¥318

11.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,669

$15.94 ¥2,489

-32.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,191

$4.59 ¥717

66.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,969

$12.34 ¥1,926

54.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥772

$5.51 ¥861

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$2.00 ¥312

18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$3.95 ¥616

9.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥860

$2.73 ¥426

101.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥527

$2.69 ¥420

25.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥497

$2.03 ¥316

56.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.16 ¥181

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.92 ¥143

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥622

$3.62 ¥566

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,549

$9.82 ¥1,534

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥277

$1.66 ¥259

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥444

$2.22 ¥346

27.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$2.66 ¥415

-52.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$58.7 ¥9,167

23.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.31 ¥517

-3.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥514

$2.96 ¥462

11.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,991

$9.68 ¥1,511

97.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

69.98%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-0.84%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$117 ¥18.2K

35.18%

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

$22.59 ¥3,529

$14.80 ¥2,312

52.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,875

$31.54 ¥4,925

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$52.2 ¥8,147

24.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

$7.64 ¥1,193

240.18%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,037

$11.56 ¥1,805

12.80%

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

$1,395 ¥217.8K

$320 ¥49.9K

336.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$6,174 ¥964.2K

197.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,454

$41.85 ¥6,535

29.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,272

$24.32 ¥3,797

38.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$54.7 ¥8,534

19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$32.37 ¥5,055

124.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.7K

$515 ¥80.4K

148.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.8K

$331 ¥51.6K

108.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.5K

$1,029 ¥160.7K

141.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.0K

$1,269 ¥198.1K

12.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,600 ¥562.2K

156.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥701.4K

$1,563 ¥244.1K

187.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥476.2K

$3,867 ¥603.9K

-21.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.66

16.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Atsugi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,279 in Tokyo and $515 in Atsugi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tokyo vs $26.00 in Atsugi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $294 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,665 vs $1,142 including rent). Atsugi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $1,279 in Tokyo versus $515 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 $26.00 versus $39.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,665 per month in Tokyo versus $1,142 in Atsugi – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,142 in Atsugi versus $1,665 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 46% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.