Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Hamamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Hamamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,733 in Tokyo versus $1,103 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,746 in Tokyo versus $1,819 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,760 in Tokyo versus $2,536 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 57% more expensive than in Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 30% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ¥1,273

$4.92 ¥775

64.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 ¥7,656

$41.90 ¥6,603

15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥855

$3.39 ¥534

59.88%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$3.03 ¥477

19.80%

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

$1.20 ¥189

$0.66 ¥104

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.77 ¥121

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ¥637

$2.05 ¥324

97.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ¥867

$2.85 ¥449

92.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.47 ¥232

10.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥250

$1.70 ¥267

-7.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 ¥845

$5.01 ¥790

6.99%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥371

$1.83 ¥288

28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,482

$10.11 ¥1,592

55.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ¥1,233

$6.19 ¥975

26.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 ¥3,639

$15.69 ¥2,472

47.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 ¥838

$4.06 ¥640

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥415

$2.11 ¥332

24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 ¥936

$3.39 ¥534

75.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥929

$4.13 ¥650

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$3.39 ¥535

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$4.36 ¥687

-22.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ¥225

$1.39 ¥219

2.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.88 ¥139

1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥673

$3.45 ¥544

23.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,471

$8.92 ¥1,406

4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$1.74 ¥274

20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥466

$2.07 ¥325

43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥222

$1.06 ¥166

33.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 ¥12.9K

$56.2 ¥8,851

45.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥559

$3.52 ¥555

0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥451

$2.96 ¥467

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 ¥4,193

$21.75 ¥3,427

22.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.20 ¥188

-0.83%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$21.0K ¥3.3M

10.59%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$14.1K ¥2.2M

24.52%

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

$167 ¥26.3K

$109 ¥17.2K

52.91%

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

$26.04 ¥4,103

$9.66 ¥1,522

169.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 ¥5,177

$20.96 ¥3,303

56.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ¥11.1K

$103 ¥16.3K

-32.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 ¥3,274

$18.56 ¥2,925

11.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 ¥2,069

$13.56 ¥2,137

-3.17%

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

$501 ¥78.9K

$279 ¥43.9K

79.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

12.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ¥9,521

$41.66 ¥6,564

45.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 ¥6,379

$27.43 ¥4,322

47.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$55.1 ¥8,688

17.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.3K

$104 ¥16.3K

-12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 ¥175.2K

$384 ¥60.5K

189.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥93.6K

$247 ¥39.0K

140.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ¥410.8K

$869 ¥136.9K

199.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ¥206.3K

$597 ¥94.1K

119.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$4,252 ¥670.1K

146.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,871 ¥767.4K

$2,051 ¥323.1K

137.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

0.95

81.05%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,112 in Tokyo and $384 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $300 per month, with Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Hamamatsu differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,733 vs $1,103 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,599 in Tokyo and $1,654 in Hamamatsu 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: $1,112 in Tokyo versus $384 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,103 in Hamamatsu versus $1,733 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.