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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,058 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,651 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,244 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 61% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Hiroshima is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.30 ¥1,024

28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$35.22 ¥5,723

38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$4.75 ¥772

15.37%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$2.97 ¥482

21.21%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.06 ¥173

19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.70 ¥115

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.76 ¥448

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$4.08 ¥662

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.58 ¥256

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.42 ¥231

6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.68 ¥761

14.10%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.18 ¥355

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$5.53 ¥898

188.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.25 ¥1,016

29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$12.18 ¥1,979

85.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.54 ¥576

55.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.21 ¥360

17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.11 ¥668

44.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.04 ¥656

50.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$1.65 ¥268

96.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.78 ¥614

-10.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.39 ¥226

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.90 ¥146

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.94 ¥639

7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.74 ¥1,258

20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.08 ¥338

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.61 ¥425

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$2.04 ¥331

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$23.80 ¥3,867

255.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.49 ¥729

-24.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$1.28 ¥208

127.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$23.31 ¥3,787

12.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.16 ¥188

3.45%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.21%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

1.84%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$132 ¥21.4K

27.29%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.61 ¥4,486

-6.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$30.58 ¥4,969

9.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$53.8 ¥8,746

31.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$5.66 ¥920

257.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.50 ¥2,031

4.56%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$173 ¥28.2K

185.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$3,779 ¥614.1K

315.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$31.74 ¥5,156

93.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$27.63 ¥4,490

50.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$52.6 ¥8,546

25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$69.2 ¥11.2K

31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$353 ¥57.3K

217.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$240 ¥39.0K

152.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$758 ¥123.2K

253.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$557 ¥90.5K

140.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,124 ¥345.1K

387.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,096 ¥340.5K

137.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,933 ¥314.0K

20.53%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $353 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 21% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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 61% 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,587 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 $1,701 in Tokyo and $1,058 in Hiroshima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 256% 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 $1,058, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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 $1,058 versus $1,701 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.