Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Hiroshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Hiroshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,033 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,639 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,244 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 63% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Hiroshima is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.10 ¥976

32.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.44 ¥5,508

40.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.76 ¥762

19.54%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.98 ¥477

19.80%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.11 ¥177

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥120

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.78 ¥445

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.21 ¥673

25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.51 ¥242

4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.42 ¥227

11.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.65 ¥745

14.41%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.18 ¥349

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$5.57 ¥890

187.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.38 ¥1,021

23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$12.10 ¥1,935

91.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.55 ¥568

47.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.16 ¥346

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.18 ¥669

37.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.24 ¥679

40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$1.65 ¥264

94.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.97 ¥635

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.34 ¥214

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.82 ¥132

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.84 ¥614

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$7.66 ¥1,225

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.03 ¥325

5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.60 ¥417

10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$2.12 ¥339

-30.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$24.20 ¥3,871

250.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.60 ¥736

-24.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$1.28 ¥205

124.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$23.22 ¥3,714

15.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥191

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

0.56%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

2.22%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$132 ¥21.2K

23.68%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.82 ¥4,290

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$30.18 ¥4,828

12.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.2 ¥8,821

25.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$5.61 ¥898

258.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.29 ¥1,966

6.27%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$175 ¥28.0K

189.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$3,684 ¥589.3K

324.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$30.65 ¥4,902

96.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$27.85 ¥4,454

44.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$52.4 ¥8,387

23.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$67.9 ¥10.9K

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$352 ¥56.3K

210.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$243 ¥38.9K

145.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$768 ¥122.8K

239.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$541 ¥86.5K

147.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$1,959 ¥313.4K

451.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,643 ¥262.7K

202.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$2,415 ¥386.3K

3.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $352 in Hiroshima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $269 – making Hiroshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 63% more than Hiroshima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,550 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hiroshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,684 in Tokyo and $1,033 in Hiroshima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $1,033, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $1,033 versus $1,684 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hiroshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.