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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,283 in Fukushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $2,002 in Fukushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,721 in Fukushima.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 31% more expensive than Fukushima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Fukushima is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,297

$6.95 ¥1,115

16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,743

$37.41 ¥5,997

29.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥912

$6.97 ¥1,118

-18.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥572

$3.75 ¥601

-4.80%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.87 ¥140

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.84 ¥134

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥682

$2.54 ¥407

67.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥850

$3.18 ¥510

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.58 ¥254

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥853

$4.67 ¥748

13.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.28 ¥365

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,571

$9.98 ¥1,600

60.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,258

$6.25 ¥1,002

25.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,712

$15.71 ¥2,518

47.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥838

$5.35 ¥857

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.64 ¥424

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥919

$3.91 ¥626

46.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥957

$6.03 ¥967

-1.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥515

$3.14 ¥504

2.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥563

$2.61 ¥418

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.32 ¥212

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.83 ¥133

8.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥685

$4.12 ¥661

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,505

$7.86 ¥1,260

19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥344

$1.91 ¥306

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥462

$2.25 ¥361

28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.67 ¥268

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.4 ¥8,713

56.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥560

$3.45 ¥553

1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥459

$2.96 ¥475

-3.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,291

$20.60 ¥3,302

29.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.17 ¥188

4.27%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.60%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

1.34%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$146 ¥23.3K

12.32%

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

$26.63 ¥4,268

$26.64 ¥4,271

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,440

$33.90 ¥5,433

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.1K

$56.8 ¥9,102

21.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,224

$13.69 ¥2,194

46.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,093

$12.46 ¥1,997

4.82%

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

$506 ¥81.1K

$285 ¥45.6K

77.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

15.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,632

$42.48 ¥6,809

41.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,462

$28.97 ¥4,644

39.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.4K

$58.9 ¥9,448

9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.3K

$476 ¥76.4K

129.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.6K

$326 ¥52.2K

83.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥418.3K

$876 ¥140.5K

197.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.6K

$649 ¥104.0K

106.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,247 ¥680.7K

154.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥797.3K

$2,300 ¥368.6K

116.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Fukushima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $476 in Fukushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $37.00 in Fukushima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $316 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,526 in Tokyo and $1,925 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $476 in Fukushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 $37.00 versus $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,283 in Fukushima versus $1,684 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 31% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.