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: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,212 in Gifu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,904 in Gifu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,596 in Gifu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Gifu is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.42 ¥1,002

13.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$30.92 ¥4,830

20.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.87 ¥761

2.26%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.84 ¥444

28.52%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.42 ¥222

19.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.72 ¥113

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.70 ¥422

35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.64 ¥569

39.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.42 ¥221

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.35 ¥210

27.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$5.38 ¥840

10.04%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.04 ¥318

9.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$9.46 ¥1,478

20.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$9.41 ¥1,470

-18.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$17.67 ¥2,760

13.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$3.37 ¥527

53.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$1.92 ¥300

30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$1.98 ¥309

134.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$3.93 ¥614

50.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$1.50 ¥235

136.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$1.13 ¥176

204.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.35 ¥210

-9.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.82 ¥128

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.95 ¥616

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$9.67 ¥1,510

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.93 ¥302

-7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$3.05 ¥476

-0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.52 ¥237

-19.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$57.7 ¥9,013

17.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.86 ¥603

-18.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$3.11 ¥486

-2.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$21.05 ¥3,288

-13.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.05 ¥164

-0.95%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

1.14%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

0.94%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$140 ¥21.9K

12.24%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.01 ¥3,751

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.70 ¥4,797

-1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$43.53 ¥6,800

43.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.83 ¥1,847

3.97%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$509 ¥79.5K

155.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$12.8K ¥2.0M

38.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$44.87 ¥7,009

14.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$30.81 ¥4,814

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$72.3 ¥11.3K

-13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$90.2 ¥14.1K

-17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$512 ¥80.0K

140.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$305 ¥47.6K

116.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,072 ¥167.4K

120.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$693 ¥108.3K

95.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,619 ¥721.6K

89.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$2,015 ¥314.8K

95.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.21

-12.67%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gifu: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $512 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $31.00 in Gifu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,480 in Tokyo and $1,818 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $512 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 17% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $509 in Gifu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,212 in Gifu versus $1,653 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.