Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Ibaraki

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibaraki: $1,142 a month against $1,686 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Ibaraki
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Ibaraki Living Index

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Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,686

/mo nomad

Ibaraki

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Ibaraki

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Ibaraki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,686 in Tokyo versus $1,142 in Ibaraki.

Tokyo $1,686
Ibaraki $1,142

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Tokyo versus $1,768 in Ibaraki.

Tokyo $2,604
Ibaraki $1,768

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,522 in Tokyo versus $2,395 in Ibaraki.

Tokyo $3,522
Ibaraki $2,395

Living in Tokyo is roughly 48% more expensive than in Ibaraki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 25% above, Ibaraki is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 ¥1,215

$6.20 ¥983

23.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.82 ¥5,990

$31.03 ¥4,915

21.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥823

$5.22 ¥827

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ¥584

$3.15 ¥499

17.14%

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

$1.69 ¥268

$1.15 ¥182

46.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.79 ¥125

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ¥598

$2.65 ¥419

42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 ¥899

$3.12 ¥494

81.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥244

$2.73 ¥432

-43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥267

$1.57 ¥248

7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 ¥874

$4.10 ¥650

34.63%

Eggs

$2.29 ¥363

$2.03 ¥321

12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ¥1,772

$10.34 ¥1,637

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 ¥1,079

$6.54 ¥1,037

4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 ¥2,715

$16.75 ¥2,652

2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 ¥722

$3.71 ¥588

22.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ¥348

$2.28 ¥361

-3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ¥678

$2.95 ¥467

45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 ¥800

$4.16 ¥659

21.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 ¥494

$2.47 ¥392

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ¥460

$2.60 ¥412

11.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ¥191

$1.32 ¥209

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.85 ¥134

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ¥638

$4.29 ¥680

-6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 ¥1,528

$6.57 ¥1,040

46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥265

$1.86 ¥295

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ¥446

$2.08 ¥329

35.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ¥196

$1.64 ¥260

-24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 ¥10.0K

$57.8 ¥9,160

9.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ¥514

$4.75 ¥753

-31.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 ¥492

$2.93 ¥464

6.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.81 ¥2,979

$25.58 ¥4,051

-26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥174

$1.09 ¥173

0.92%

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

$22.7K ¥3.6M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

4.55%

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

$15.3K ¥2.4M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

-0.32%

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

$159 ¥25.2K

$138 ¥21.8K

15.71%

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

$23.73 ¥3,758

$24.35 ¥3,857

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.06 ¥4,761

$31.52 ¥4,991

-4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥9,269

$50.6 ¥8,017

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.75 ¥4,079

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 ¥2,101

$12.49 ¥1,978

6.24%

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

$1,423 ¥225.4K

$626 ¥99.2K

127.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K ¥3.7M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

52.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ¥8,665

$26.34 ¥4,171

107.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 ¥5,156

$31.99 ¥5,067

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.2K

$67.6 ¥10.7K

-4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ¥11.6K

$81.0 ¥12.8K

-9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ¥207.1K

$403 ¥63.8K

224.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ¥113.1K

$264 ¥41.9K

170.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 ¥423.7K

$1,028 ¥162.8K

160.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 ¥225.4K

$527 ¥83.5K

170.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K ¥1.8M

$4,712 ¥746.3K

134.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,530 ¥875.8K

$2,384 ¥377.6K

131.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,845 ¥450.6K

$2,498 ¥395.6K

13.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.25

2.21

1.81%

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

Last update for Tokyo: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ibaraki: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tokyo

$714 42.4%

Ibaraki

$264 23.2% 63% $450

Groceries & Markets

Tokyo

$323 19.2%

Ibaraki

$301 26.4% 6.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tokyo

$213 12.6%

Ibaraki

$193 17% 9.2% $20

Eating Out

Tokyo

$162 9.6%

Ibaraki

$130 11.4% 19.4% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Tokyo

$101 6%

Ibaraki

$93 8.2% 8% $8.1

Getting Around

Tokyo

$87 5.2%

Ibaraki

$84 7.3% 3.8% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Tokyo

$85 5.1%

Ibaraki

$76 6.6% 11.1% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,308 in Tokyo and $403 in Ibaraki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 14% 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: $38 in Tokyo vs $31 in Ibaraki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $301 per month, with Ibaraki cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🇯🇵 Ibaraki

🕒 Local time

08:07 8:07 AM

Same time as Tokyo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,613,660 Capital

287,730

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.62 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Ibaraki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,686 in Tokyo and $1,142 in Ibaraki, so Ibaraki is about 32% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Tokyo, 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: $1,308 in Tokyo versus $403 in Ibaraki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibaraki – a meal for two runs $31 versus $38 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Ibaraki gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Ibaraki are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.