Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Gifu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gifu: $1,267 a month against $1,688 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tokyo outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Tokyo, Japan
Gifu, Japan
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,688
/mo nomad
Gifu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,267
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Gifu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Gifu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,688 in Tokyo versus $1,267 in Gifu.

  • Tokyo $1,688
  • Gifu $1,267

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Tokyo versus $2,040 in Gifu.

  • Tokyo $2,588
  • Gifu $2,040

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Tokyo versus $2,814 in Gifu.

  • Tokyo $3,489
  • Gifu $2,814

Living in Tokyo is roughly 33% more expensive than in Gifu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 24% above, Gifu is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.72 ¥1,220
$7.71 ¥1,218
0.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.51 ¥5,926
$31.30 ¥4,945
19.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 ¥791
$4.85 ¥766
3.30%
Cappuccino
$3.68 ¥581
$2.31 ¥365
59.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.18 ¥186
27.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ¥134
$0.62 ¥97.3
37.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.77 ¥596
$2.12 ¥335
77.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 ¥909
$2.37 ¥374
142.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.50 ¥237
-0.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 ¥274
$1.32 ¥208
31.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.80 ¥916
$5.52 ¥871
5.07%
Eggs
$2.25 ¥355
$2.09 ¥330
7.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.50 ¥1,816
$12.52 ¥1,979
-8.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.96 ¥1,100
$9.60 ¥1,517
-27.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.39 ¥2,590
$32.24 ¥5,093
-49.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 ¥747
$3.81 ¥602
24.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 ¥360
$2.30 ¥364
-0.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.26 ¥673
$6.42 ¥1,014
-33.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.37 ¥848
$4.21 ¥665
27.55%
Potato (1kg)
$3.29 ¥520
$3.74 ¥590
-12.03%
Onion (1kg)
$3.00 ¥474
$3.47 ¥548
-13.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ¥181
$1.29 ¥204
-10.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥126
$0.95 ¥150
-15.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 ¥615
$3.54 ¥560
9.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 ¥1,536
$8.36 ¥1,321
16.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ¥269
$2.04 ¥322
-16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 ¥420
$1.53 ¥241
73.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 ¥197
$1.56 ¥246
-19.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.4 ¥9,864
$61.4 ¥9,707
1.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ¥497
$3.15 ¥498
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.14 ¥495
$3.26 ¥514
-3.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.98 ¥2,998
$27.03 ¥4,270
-29.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥176
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ¥3.6M
$20.0K ¥3.2M
12.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$16.5K ¥2.6M
-7.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 ¥23.2K
$143 ¥22.6K
2.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.17 ¥3,661
$24.52 ¥3,874
-5.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.10 ¥4,755
$42.97 ¥6,789
-29.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.4 ¥9,075
$49.00 ¥7,742
17.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.48 ¥4,183
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.39 ¥2,116
$12.61 ¥1,993
6.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,410 ¥222.8K
$323 ¥51.1K
336.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K ¥2.9M
$6,232 ¥984.6K
198.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 ¥8,741
$49.60 ¥7,836
11.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.43 ¥5,123
$25.33 ¥4,002
28.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.4 ¥10.2K
$46.99 ¥7,423
37.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.1 ¥11.4K
$66.0 ¥10.4K
9.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 ¥210.0K
$564 ¥89.1K
135.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥115.1K
$298 ¥47.1K
144.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,622 ¥414.3K
$1,075 ¥169.9K
143.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 ¥221.4K
$737 ¥116.4K
90.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.7K ¥1.7M
$4,525 ¥714.9K
136.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,054 ¥798.5K
$2,202 ¥347.8K
129.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Gifu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,019 ¥476.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
2.28
-1.32%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Gifu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$729
Gifu
$298 59.1% $430
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$327
Gifu
$385 17.6% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$200
Gifu
$211 5.3% $11
Eating Out
Tokyo
$161
Gifu
$126 21.3% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Gifu
$85 16.2% $16
Getting Around
Tokyo
$86
Gifu
$87 1% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$84
Gifu
$74 11.9% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,329 in Tokyo and $564 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Tokyo vs $31 in Gifu. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $385, with Tokyo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Gifu
🕒 Local time
20:57 8:57 PM
20:57 8:57 PM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
404,352
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
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  • Tokyo Gifu 270 km
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Gifu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Gifu cheaper than Tokyo?
Gifu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,533 in Tokyo and $1,900 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.
What is the rent difference between Tokyo and Gifu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,329 in Tokyo versus $564 in Gifu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Tokyo and in Gifu?
Shoppers in Tokyo pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Tokyo and in Gifu?
All in, you’ll spend $1,688 per month in Tokyo versus $1,267 in Gifu – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tokyo or in Gifu?
At $1,267 in Gifu versus $1,688 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.
Is it better to live in Tokyo or in Gifu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Tokyo or Gifu?
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.

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