Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Fukuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Fukuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,291 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $2,054 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,818 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 30% more than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Fukuoka is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.28 ¥1,324

-2.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$41.70 ¥6,670

15.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.15 ¥984

-7.48%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.14 ¥503

13.69%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.03 ¥165

22.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.82 ¥132

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$1.65 ¥263

157.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.09 ¥335

153.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.66 ¥265

-4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.60 ¥256

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.06 ¥649

31.03%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.62 ¥419

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$21.12 ¥3,378

-24.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.24 ¥997

25.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$20.96 ¥3,353

10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.13 ¥501

67.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.36 ¥217

88.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$1.42 ¥227

303.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.96 ¥953

0.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.69 ¥431

19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.11 ¥497

12.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.90 ¥145

64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.75 ¥120

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.78 ¥604

12.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.08 ¥972

54.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.91 ¥305

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.11 ¥337

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.76 ¥281

-15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$42.39 ¥6,780

100.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.74 ¥758

-26.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$4.57 ¥732

-37.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$19.52 ¥3,122

37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.20 ¥192

1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.70%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$20.0K ¥3.2M

-12.64%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$216 ¥34.6K

-24.30%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.65 ¥4,423

-3.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$35.41 ¥5,664

-4.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$59.1 ¥9,450

16.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$3.48 ¥557

477.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.62 ¥2,179

-4.11%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$416 ¥66.6K

21.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.93 ¥6,866

39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.81 ¥4,767

35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$66.0 ¥10.6K

-2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$61.7 ¥9,872

47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$547 ¥87.5K

99.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$300 ¥48.1K

98.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$1,035 ¥165.6K

152.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$695 ¥111.2K

92.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$6,425 ¥1.0M

68.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,669 ¥426.9K

86.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,531 ¥244.9K

63.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Fukuoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $547 in Fukuoka. 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 63% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $42.00 in Fukuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $329 – making Fukuoka 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 Fukuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,291 in Fukuoka – roughly 30% 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 $1,937 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fukuoka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $416 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,291, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,291 in Fukuoka 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 Fukuoka. 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.