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: $1,714 in Tokyo versus $1,109 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Tokyo versus $1,844 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,765 in Tokyo versus $2,579 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 54% more expensive than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 28% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,354

$4.99 ¥798

69.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.34 ¥7,892

$40.88 ¥6,538

20.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$3.44 ¥550

64.83%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥576

$3.07 ¥490

17.26%

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

$1.25 ¥200

$0.72 ¥115

73.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.75 ¥120

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥681

$2.07 ¥331

105.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥843

$2.75 ¥440

91.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥261

$1.51 ¥242

7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.73 ¥276

-12.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 ¥889

$5.00 ¥799

11.20%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥374

$1.82 ¥291

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥2,541

$9.93 ¥1,588

60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ¥1,244

$6.24 ¥997

24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.52 ¥3,602

$15.56 ¥2,489

44.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥855

$4.22 ¥675

26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$2.10 ¥336

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ¥935

$3.40 ¥544

71.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ¥967

$4.26 ¥682

41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥517

$3.40 ¥543

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥534

$4.18 ¥668

-20.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ¥239

$1.40 ¥223

6.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.88 ¥140

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥672

$3.52 ¥563

19.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$9.40 ¥1,504

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.77 ¥284

17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥474

$2.07 ¥331

43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥225

$1.01 ¥162

39.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 ¥13.1K

$54.8 ¥8,770

49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$3.39 ¥542

3.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥481

$2.93 ¥468

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.66 ¥4,264

$22.59 ¥3,613

18.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.21 ¥193

3.31%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$20.9K ¥3.3M

10.17%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

23.33%

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

$167 ¥26.7K

$109 ¥17.4K

53.43%

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

$26.17 ¥4,186

$9.72 ¥1,554

169.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 ¥5,434

$21.01 ¥3,360

61.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ¥11.1K

$105 ¥16.8K

-33.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 ¥3,215

$18.77 ¥3,002

7.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 ¥2,094

$13.50 ¥2,160

-3.04%

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

$512 ¥81.8K

$278 ¥44.5K

84.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ¥2.5M

$14.1K ¥2.3M

10.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ¥9,846

$42.38 ¥6,778

45.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ¥6,470

$27.81 ¥4,448

45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$54.6 ¥8,737

21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.5K

$106 ¥16.9K

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥178.8K

$376 ¥60.2K

197.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥94.9K

$245 ¥39.1K

142.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 ¥430.4K

$871 ¥139.3K

208.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ¥213.5K

$581 ¥92.9K

129.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K ¥1.7M

$7,573 ¥1.2M

41.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ¥796.6K

$5,304 ¥848.4K

-6.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 ¥398.3K

$1,248 ¥199.6K

99.59%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,118 in Tokyo and $376 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 100% 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: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $41.00 in Hamamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,714 vs $1,109 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 100% 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: $1,118 in Tokyo versus $376 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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 $41.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,109 in Hamamatsu versus $1,714 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 54% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.