Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Hamamatsu

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamamatsu: $783 a month against $1,688 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo, Japan
Hamamatsu, Japan
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,688
/mo nomad
Hamamatsu
🇯🇵 Japan
$783
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Hamamatsu

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 Hamamatsu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,688 in Tokyo versus $783 in Hamamatsu.

  • Tokyo $1,688
  • Hamamatsu $783

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Tokyo versus $1,266 in Hamamatsu.

  • Tokyo $2,588
  • Hamamatsu $1,266

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Tokyo versus $1,750 in Hamamatsu.

  • Tokyo $3,489
  • Hamamatsu $1,750

Living in Tokyo is roughly 116% more expensive than in Hamamatsu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 24% above, Hamamatsu is 42% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.72 ¥1,217
$3.90 ¥614
97.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.51 ¥5,909
$41.78 ¥6,581
-10.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 ¥788
$5.19 ¥818
-3.47%
Cappuccino
$3.68 ¥579
$3.41 ¥538
7.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 ¥238
$1.10 ¥173
37.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ¥133
$0.75 ¥118
13.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.77 ¥594
$2.61 ¥411
44.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 ¥906
$3.11 ¥489
84.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥235
$1.08 ¥170
37.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.73 ¥273
$1.70 ¥267
1.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.80 ¥913
$3.67 ¥578
58.04%
Eggs
$2.25 ¥354
$1.68 ¥265
33.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.50 ¥1,811
$10.25 ¥1,615
12.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.96 ¥1,096
$6.17 ¥971
12.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.39 ¥2,582
$14.24 ¥2,242
15.10%
Apples (1kg)
$4.73 ¥745
$5.80 ¥914
-18.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 ¥359
$2.84 ¥447
-19.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.26 ¥671
$2.95 ¥465
44.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.37 ¥845
$4.30 ¥678
24.88%
Potato (1kg)
$3.29 ¥519
$2.61 ¥412
26.05%
Onion (1kg)
$3.00 ¥473
$2.59 ¥407
15.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ¥181
$1.29 ¥204
-10.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥126
$0.66 ¥104
21.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 ¥613
$3.89 ¥612
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 ¥1,531
$6.39 ¥1,006
52.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ¥268
$1.82 ¥287
-6.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 ¥419
$2.10 ¥331
26.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 ¥197
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.4 ¥9,835
$50.1 ¥7,896
24.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ¥495
$3.11 ¥489
1.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.14 ¥494
$2.63 ¥414
19.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.98 ¥2,989
$20.62 ¥3,248
-7.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.06 ¥167
4.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ¥3.5M
$21.6K ¥3.4M
4.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$15.8K ¥2.5M
-3.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 ¥23.1K
$130 ¥20.5K
12.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.17 ¥3,650
$8.59 ¥1,353
169.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.10 ¥4,741
$32.78 ¥5,164
-8.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.4 ¥9,048
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.48 ¥4,171
$17.40 ¥2,741
52.18%
Cinema Ticket
$13.39 ¥2,109
$13.08 ¥2,060
2.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,410 ¥222.1K
$819 ¥129.0K
72.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K ¥2.9M
$14.8K ¥2.3M
25.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 ¥8,715
$63.6 ¥10.0K
-13.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.43 ¥5,108
$37.10 ¥5,844
-12.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.4 ¥10.1K
$61.3 ¥9,655
5.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.1 ¥11.4K
$103 ¥16.2K
-30.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 ¥209.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥114.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,622 ¥413.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 ¥220.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.7K ¥1.7M
$7,787 ¥1.2M
37.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,054 ¥796.1K
$5,298 ¥834.5K
-4.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Hamamatsu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,019 ¥475.5K
$1,602 ¥252.4K
88.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
2.64
-14.77%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$729
Hamamatsu
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$327
Hamamatsu
$285 13% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$200
Hamamatsu
$172 14.2% $28
Eating Out
Tokyo
$161
Hamamatsu
$114 28.8% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Hamamatsu
$119 18.2% $18
Getting Around
Tokyo
$86
Hamamatsu
$66 * 23% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$84
Hamamatsu
$26 * 68.9% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Tokyo pays 88% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38 in Tokyo vs $42 in Hamamatsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $285, with Hamamatsu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Hamamatsu
🕒 Local time
12:23 12:23 PM
12:23 12:23 PM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
797,033
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Hamamatsu 210 km
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Hamamatsu

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 Hamamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tokyo and in Hamamatsu?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,688 in Tokyo and $783 in Hamamatsu, so Hamamatsu is about 54% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Tokyo or Hamamatsu?
Average pay runs 88% higher in Tokyo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Tokyo – a meal for two runs $38 versus $42 in Hamamatsu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $783 in Hamamatsu versus $1,688 in Tokyo, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Tokyo and Hamamatsu?
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.
Is Tokyo or Hamamatsu safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tokyo and Hamamatsu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Tokyo and Hamamatsu?
It comes down to priorities – Hamamatsu wins on affordability, Tokyo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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