Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Beppu

For one person, living is cheaper in Beppu: $979 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,648
/mo nomad
Beppu
🇯🇵 Japan
$979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Beppu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Beppu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,648 per month in Tokyo vs $979 in Beppu, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,648
  • Beppu $979

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,443 in Beppu, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,604
  • Beppu $1,443

A family of three spends $3,561 per month in Tokyo vs $1,907 in Beppu, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,561
  • Beppu $1,907

Tokyo costs about 68% more than Beppu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Beppu is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.79 ¥1,230
$6.32 ¥999
23.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.57 ¥6,094
$23.30 ¥3,681
65.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.99 ¥788
$4.45 ¥703
12.13%
Cappuccino
$3.58 ¥565
$3.03 ¥479
18.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ¥249
$1.01 ¥160
55.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ¥142
$0.77 ¥121
16.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ¥593
$3.21 ¥507
16.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 ¥825
$2.22 ¥351
135.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ¥246
$1.45 ¥229
6.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 ¥277
$1.60 ¥253
9.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.56 ¥879
$4.42 ¥699
25.79%
Eggs
$2.25 ¥355
$1.53 ¥242
47.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.31 ¥1,787
$8.99 ¥1,421
25.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 ¥1,068
$5.52 ¥871
22.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.83 ¥2,658
$9.95 ¥1,571
69.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.66 ¥736
$3.55 ¥561
31.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 ¥359
$1.78 ¥281
27.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.33 ¥683
$2.89 ¥457
49.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.23 ¥826
$3.36 ¥531
55.65%
Potato (1kg)
$3.33 ¥526
$2.12 ¥335
57.08%
Onion (1kg)
$3.00 ¥474
$2.18 ¥345
37.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ¥183
$1.06 ¥168
9.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥130
$0.94 ¥148
-11.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$3.80 ¥600
2.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.53 ¥1,506
$6.42 ¥1,014
48.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥257
$1.43 ¥225
13.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 ¥414
$1.74 ¥275
50.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ¥193
$2.53 ¥400
-51.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.3 ¥9,848
$31.33 ¥4,949
98.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 ¥505
$4.11 ¥650
-22.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 ¥489
$2.30 ¥363
34.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.70 ¥2,954
$17.70 ¥2,797
5.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K ¥3.5M
$11.3K ¥1.8M
95.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$15.2K ¥2.4M
-0.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 ¥23.4K
$149 ¥23.6K
-0.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.75 ¥3,594
$12.72 ¥2,010
78.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.86 ¥4,717
$28.21 ¥4,457
5.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.5 ¥10.4K
$44.21 ¥6,985
48.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.19 ¥4,137
$3.10 ¥490
744.84%
Cinema Ticket
$13.22 ¥2,089
$6.33 ¥1,000
108.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,314 ¥207.6K
$188 ¥29.8K
597.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K ¥2.8M
$12.1K ¥1.9M
47.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 ¥8,584
$27.92 ¥4,411
94.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.73 ¥5,172
$22.03 ¥3,481
48.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.4 ¥10.3K
$66.0 ¥10.4K
-0.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6 ¥11.2K
$38.27 ¥6,046
84.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 ¥203.4K
$306 ¥48.3K
321.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 ¥108.1K
$233 ¥36.7K
194.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,507 ¥396.1K
$573 ¥90.5K
337.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ¥230.6K
$377 ¥59.6K
287.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,204 ¥1.5M
$4,209 ¥665.0K
118.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,226 ¥667.6K
$1,559 ¥246.3K
171.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Beppu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,994 ¥473.0K
$1,360 ¥214.9K
120.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
1.97
14.21%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Beppu: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$684
Beppu
$233 66% $452
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$326
Beppu
$245 24.7% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$201
Beppu
$190 5.2% $11
Eating Out
Tokyo
$159
Beppu
$128 19.7% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$100
Beppu
$69 30.9% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$92
Beppu
$57 38.2% $35
Getting Around
Tokyo
$86
Beppu
$57 33.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,288 in Tokyo versus $306 in Beppu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 120% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo versus $23.00 in Beppu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $245 – making Beppu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Beppu
🕒 Local time
11:58 11:58 AM
11:58 11:58 AM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
115,321
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Beppu 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Beppu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Beppu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tokyo or Beppu?
Tokyo costs about 68% more than Beppu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tokyo and in Beppu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,473 per month in Tokyo and $1,469 in Beppu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tokyo or Beppu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Beppu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Tokyo compared to Beppu?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,648 in Tokyo and $979 in Beppu. That's a gap of about 68%.
How expensive is transport in Tokyo compared to Beppu?
Public transport costs about 99% less in Beppu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tokyo or in Beppu?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beppu, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Tokyo at $1,648. In Beppu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tokyo or Beppu?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beppu costs $979 versus $1,648 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tokyo compared to Beppu?
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.
Should I move to Tokyo or to Beppu?
If budget matters most, go with Beppu. 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.

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