Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Fukushima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Fukushima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,196 in Fukushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,916 in Fukushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,636 in Fukushima.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 38% more expensive than in Fukushima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Fukushima is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.23 ¥973

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$31.86 ¥4,978

16.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.88 ¥763

2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.01 ¥470

21.26%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.04 ¥162

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.78 ¥122

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.69 ¥420

35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.44 ¥538

47.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.47 ¥230

5.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.63 ¥255

5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$4.44 ¥693

33.33%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$1.91 ¥299

16.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$11.75 ¥1,835

-3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$5.46 ¥853

40.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$18.93 ¥2,958

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$4.85 ¥758

6.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.57 ¥401

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.72 ¥425

70.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.57 ¥715

29.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.37 ¥370

49.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.51 ¥392

37.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.37 ¥214

-10.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.89 ¥139

-3.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$4.01 ¥626

-1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$6.66 ¥1,040

43.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.68 ¥262

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.16 ¥337

40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.30 ¥204

-5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$57.0 ¥8,903

18.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.45 ¥539

-8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.86 ¥447

6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$18.83 ¥2,942

-3.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$0.92 ¥144

13.04%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$19.5K ¥3.1M

11.04%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$13.7K ¥2.1M

7.43%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$144 ¥22.5K

9.07%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$26.18 ¥4,090

-15.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$35.27 ¥5,510

-14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$54.4 ¥8,493

15.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$12.33 ¥1,926

-0.24%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$583 ¥91.1K

122.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$12.2K ¥1.9M

45.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$48.63 ¥7,596

5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$34.32 ¥5,362

-5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$57.0 ¥8,904

9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$88.0 ¥13.7K

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$474 ¥74.1K

159.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$318 ¥49.7K

107.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,133 ¥177.0K

108.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$660 ¥103.2K

105.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,019 ¥627.9K

117.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,906 ¥297.8K

106.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.06

-6.31%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Fukushima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $474 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $32.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $304 per month, with Fukushima 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 Fukushima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fukushima is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,480 in Tokyo and $1,794 in Fukushima to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $474 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $37.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,196 in Fukushima versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fukushima but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Fukushima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fukushima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Fukushima 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 Fukushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.