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: $1,669 in Tokyo versus $1,110 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Tokyo versus $1,843 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,676 in Tokyo versus $2,577 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 50% more expensive than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 25% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 ¥1,368

$4.82 ¥772

77.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.36 ¥7,741

$42.39 ¥6,786

14.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥866

$3.55 ¥568

52.39%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ¥574

$3.08 ¥493

16.56%

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

$1.22 ¥195

$0.66 ¥106

84.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥140

$0.82 ¥131

7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.27 ¥684

$2.09 ¥335

104.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 ¥838

$2.72 ¥435

92.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.53 ¥244

5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.69 ¥270

-10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 ¥861

$4.84 ¥774

11.16%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥375

$1.84 ¥295

27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.22 ¥2,596

$9.99 ¥1,600

62.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 ¥1,312

$6.39 ¥1,022

28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.60 ¥3,617

$15.47 ¥2,476

46.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 ¥855

$4.14 ¥663

28.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ¥427

$2.14 ¥342

24.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 ¥953

$3.56 ¥569

67.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥951

$4.13 ¥661

43.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ¥536

$3.28 ¥524

2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥535

$4.34 ¥694

-23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.39 ¥222

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.86 ¥138

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ¥663

$3.49 ¥559

18.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,485

$9.66 ¥1,547

-4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.77 ¥283

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ¥482

$2.05 ¥328

46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.07 ¥171

38.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 ¥13.5K

$55.8 ¥8,932

50.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ¥571

$3.45 ¥553

3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥462

$3.02 ¥484

-4.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.08 ¥4,174

$22.35 ¥3,579

16.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥194

$1.21 ¥193

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

10.85%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

22.21%

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

$165 ¥26.4K

$109 ¥17.4K

52.13%

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

$26.70 ¥4,274

$9.90 ¥1,585

169.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.60 ¥5,379

$21.21 ¥3,396

58.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 ¥11.0K

$103 ¥16.5K

-33.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 ¥3,320

$18.58 ¥2,974

11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 ¥2,132

$13.60 ¥2,177

-2.06%

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

$496 ¥79.5K

$285 ¥45.6K

74.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

8.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ¥9,950

$41.48 ¥6,639

49.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.12 ¥6,583

$27.83 ¥4,454

47.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 ¥10.6K

$54.5 ¥8,716

22.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.6K

$104 ¥16.7K

-12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 ¥178.4K

$378 ¥60.5K

195.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ¥98.0K

$244 ¥39.1K

150.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,673 ¥427.9K

$881 ¥141.1K

203.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 ¥211.6K

$584 ¥93.5K

126.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$7,566 ¥1.2M

101.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,112 ¥978.3K

$5,338 ¥854.5K

14.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,680 ¥429.0K

$1,413 ¥226.2K

89.68%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Tokyo and $378 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 90% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $302 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,669 vs $1,110 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 90% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Tokyo versus $378 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 $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,669 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 50% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.