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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,238 in Gifu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,937 in Gifu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,636 in Gifu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 36% more expensive than Gifu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Gifu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.85 ¥1,095

18.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.05 ¥5,606

37.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.99 ¥798

14.03%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.21 ¥513

11.21%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.09 ¥174

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.77 ¥124

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.78 ¥445

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.43 ¥708

19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.55 ¥247

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.49 ¥238

6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.84 ¥774

9.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.43 ¥388

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.52 ¥1,683

52.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.28 ¥1,004

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$18.97 ¥3,034

22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.49 ¥559

49.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.16 ¥346

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$2.61 ¥417

119.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.32 ¥691

38.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$1.65 ¥264

94.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.25 ¥199

180.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.32 ¥211

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.85 ¥135

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.57 ¥570

19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.28 ¥1,485

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.06 ¥330

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.98 ¥476

-3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.59 ¥255

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.5 ¥8,723

55.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.56 ¥729

-23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.37 ¥539

-14.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$23.44 ¥3,749

14.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ¥199

-1.61%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.27%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$12.3K ¥2.0M

41.19%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$130 ¥20.8K

25.84%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.39 ¥4,381

-2.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$30.10 ¥4,814

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.1 ¥8,980

22.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.80 ¥2,207

45.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.35 ¥1,975

5.75%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$69.7 ¥11.2K

626.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$10.2K ¥1.6M

52.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.46 ¥6,951

38.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.50 ¥4,719

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

-3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$97.0 ¥15.5K

-6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$477 ¥76.3K

129.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$325 ¥52.0K

83.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$875 ¥139.9K

198.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$655 ¥104.7K

104.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,846 ¥775.1K

123.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,455 ¥392.7K

102.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Gifu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $477 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Gifu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $299 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 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,526 in Tokyo and $1,857 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $477 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 56% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $69.7 in Gifu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,238 in Gifu versus $1,684 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 36% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.