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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,149 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,913 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,676 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 45% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,184

$6.45 ¥1,008

17.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,091

$34.43 ¥5,377

13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥802

$4.92 ¥769

4.27%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥587

$3.16 ¥494

18.99%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$1.06 ¥166

57.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.65 ¥102

36.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥626

$2.57 ¥401

56.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥828

$2.30 ¥359

130.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.36 ¥212

13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.22 ¥190

31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥914

$5.46 ¥853

7.14%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$2.11 ¥330

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,669

$18.65 ¥2,913

-42.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,191

$5.38 ¥840

41.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,969

$19.35 ¥3,022

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥772

$3.75 ¥586

31.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$1.89 ¥295

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$2.97 ¥464

46.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥860

$3.34 ¥521

64.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥527

$2.19 ¥343

53.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥497

$1.91 ¥298

66.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.11 ¥174

7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.82 ¥127

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥622

$4.08 ¥637

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,549

$6.10 ¥952

62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥277

$1.22 ¥190

45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥444

$1.87 ¥292

51.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$1.28 ¥200

-0.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$58.0 ¥9,054

24.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.99 ¥623

-19.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥514

$2.15 ¥335

53.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,991

$11.86 ¥1,853

61.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.14 ¥177

-4.39%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.5K ¥3.5M

-1.43%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-13.00%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$195 ¥30.4K

-19.17%

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

$22.59 ¥3,529

$25.87 ¥4,040

-12.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,875

$31.40 ¥4,903

-0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$53.4 ¥8,333

21.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,037

$12.41 ¥1,938

5.08%

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

$1,395 ¥217.8K

$130 ¥20.3K

974.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$12.6K ¥2.0M

45.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,454

$39.59 ¥6,183

36.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,272

$24.19 ¥3,777

39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$62.0 ¥9,682

4.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$48.58 ¥7,586

49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.7K

$522 ¥81.5K

144.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.8K

$226 ¥35.3K

205.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.5K

$946 ¥147.7K

163.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.0K

$753 ¥117.7K

88.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$4,178 ¥652.4K

120.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥701.4K

$1,848 ¥288.6K

143.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥476.2K

$1,921 ¥299.9K

58.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.85

4.86%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $522 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 59% 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $302 – 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 45% 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 $2,498 per month in Tokyo and $1,724 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 25% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,395 per month in Tokyo and $130 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 $1,149, than in Tokyo at $1,665. 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 $1,149 versus $1,665 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.