Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Gifu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Gifu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,232 in Gifu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,926 in Gifu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,620 in Gifu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Gifu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.97 ¥1,133

16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.21 ¥5,558

42.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$4.81 ¥782

13.93%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.24 ¥526

11.11%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.13 ¥183

12.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.71 ¥115

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.83 ¥459

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$4.24 ¥688

28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.59 ¥259

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.49 ¥242

1.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.84 ¥787

10.33%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.43 ¥395

-4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.62 ¥1,726

50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.26 ¥1,018

29.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$18.93 ¥3,075

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.68 ¥598

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.18 ¥355

18.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$2.60 ¥422

127.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.50 ¥732

34.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$1.66 ¥271

95.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.24 ¥201

173.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.36 ¥221

6.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.84 ¥137

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.40 ¥552

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.20 ¥1,495

1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.07 ¥336

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.03 ¥492

-5.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.60 ¥260

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.8 ¥9,068

51.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.62 ¥750

-26.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.30 ¥536

-11.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$23.67 ¥3,846

10.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.19 ¥193

0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.09%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$12.4K ¥2.0M

38.20%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$132 ¥21.5K

26.80%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.40 ¥4,452

-5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$29.83 ¥4,846

12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.6 ¥9,191

25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.71 ¥2,228

47.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.67 ¥2,059

3.16%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$68.4 ¥11.1K

623.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

50.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$44.66 ¥7,257

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.17 ¥4,740

42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$69.1 ¥11.2K

-4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$95.0 ¥15.4K

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$460 ¥74.8K

143.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$324 ¥52.6K

87.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$863 ¥140.2K

210.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$661 ¥107.5K

102.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,737 ¥769.7K

118.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,080 ¥337.9K

139.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gifu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $460 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $34.00 in Gifu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $302 per month, with Gifu 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 Gifu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $2,552 in Tokyo and $1,847 in Gifu 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $460 in Gifu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gifu runs roughly 52% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $68.4 in Gifu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Gifu versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gifu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Gifu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gifu 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 Gifu 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 Gifu 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.