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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $919 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,482 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,046 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 80% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Hiroshima is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.05 ¥945

20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$31.23 ¥4,879

18.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.89 ¥764

1.84%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.72 ¥426

34.19%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.02 ¥160

65.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.67 ¥105

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.64 ¥413

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.65 ¥570

38.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.50 ¥235

3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.56 ¥243

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$4.68 ¥731

26.50%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.09 ¥326

6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$4.93 ¥770

130.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$5.96 ¥931

28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$11.07 ¥1,730

81.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$3.39 ¥529

52.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$1.90 ¥297

32.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$3.74 ¥584

24.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$3.73 ¥582

58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$1.50 ¥234

136.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$3.44 ¥537

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.28 ¥200

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.77 ¥121

11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.83 ¥599

3.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$7.63 ¥1,192

24.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.85 ¥289

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.46 ¥384

23.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.91 ¥298

-35.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.72 ¥581

-15.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$1.23 ¥192

147.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$20.94 ¥3,271

-13.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.04 ¥163

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

1.63%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-2.92%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$137 ¥21.4K

14.75%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$23.88 ¥3,730

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.26 ¥4,727

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$53.6 ¥8,368

16.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

$4.80 ¥749

427.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.97 ¥1,870

2.76%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$158 ¥24.6K

724.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$3,422 ¥534.6K

417.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$28.18 ¥4,403

81.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$24.90 ¥3,891

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$47.12 ¥7,362

32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$61.8 ¥9,654

20.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$238 ¥37.2K

417.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$185 ¥28.9K

256.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$635 ¥99.2K

272.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$503 ¥78.6K

169.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$1,883 ¥294.1K

364.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,889 ¥295.1K

108.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,956 ¥305.6K

45.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.21

-12.67%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $238 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 45% 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 $37.00 in Tokyo versus $31.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $253 – 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 80% 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 $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,378 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo and $31.00 in Hiroshima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Tokyo at $1,653. 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 $919 versus $1,653 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.