Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kagoshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kagoshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,176 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,894 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,613 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.48 ¥1,357

-4.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$41.63 ¥6,659

16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.78 ¥924

-1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.07 ¥491

16.29%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.09 ¥174

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.82 ¥131

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$1.64 ¥262

159.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.02 ¥324

162.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.39 ¥222

13.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.30 ¥208

22.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.20 ¥672

26.67%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.38 ¥381

1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.13 ¥1,621

58.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.19 ¥990

26.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$21.06 ¥3,369

9.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.06 ¥489

70.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.40 ¥224

83.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$1.35 ¥216

324.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.96 ¥953

0.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.32 ¥372

38.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.09 ¥335

67.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.99 ¥159

49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.80 ¥129

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.79 ¥607

12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.03 ¥965

55.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.30 ¥208

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.13 ¥341

35.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.50 ¥239

-1.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.4 ¥8,695

56.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.58 ¥732

-23.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.00 ¥479

-4.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$12.39 ¥1,982

116.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.23 ¥197

-0.81%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.10%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.2M

-13.98%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$210 ¥33.6K

-22.14%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.92 ¥4,306

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$35.46 ¥5,671

-4.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$54.8 ¥8,758

25.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.60 ¥2,175

47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$14.12 ¥2,258

-7.51%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$412 ¥65.9K

22.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$44.04 ¥7,044

36.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.74 ¥4,757

35.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$65.4 ¥10.5K

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$60.1 ¥9,606

51.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$477 ¥76.2K

129.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$238 ¥38.0K

150.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$868 ¥138.9K

200.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$646 ¥103.4K

107.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$5,140 ¥822.2K

110.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,510 ¥401.5K

98.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,852 ¥296.2K

35.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $477 in Kagoshima. 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 35% 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 $42.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $284 – making Kagoshima 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 Kagoshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Kagoshima, 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 $1,763 in Kagoshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 56% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $412 in Kagoshima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,176, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,176 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 Kagoshima. 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.