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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,188 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,903 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,618 in Kagoshima, rent included.

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

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$8.29 ¥1,347

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$40.85 ¥6,637

19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.89 ¥956

-6.96%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.05 ¥495

18.03%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.08 ¥176

17.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.80 ¥131

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$1.63 ¥265

150.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.09 ¥340

160.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.34 ¥217

20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.26 ¥204

19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.06 ¥660

31.53%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.40 ¥389

-3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.90 ¥1,609

61.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.04 ¥982

34.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$20.85 ¥3,387

8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.05 ¥495

80.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.36 ¥220

90.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$1.41 ¥229

319.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.99 ¥973

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.31 ¥375

40.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.06 ¥334

64.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$0.98 ¥160

47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.75 ¥122

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.80 ¥618

11.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$5.87 ¥954

58.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.28 ¥207

60.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.10 ¥341

36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.49 ¥242

-0.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.6 ¥9,039

52.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.73 ¥769

-28.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.99 ¥486

-2.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$12.43 ¥2,019

111.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.21 ¥197

-0.83%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.88%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$19.9K ¥3.2M

-13.74%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$211 ¥34.3K

-20.54%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.94 ¥4,377

-4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$36.20 ¥5,882

-7.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.7 ¥9,208

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.74 ¥2,232

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.61 ¥2,212

-3.97%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$409 ¥66.5K

20.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.51 ¥6,906

44.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.17 ¥4,740

42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$67.0 ¥10.9K

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$60.9 ¥9,890

49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$474 ¥77.1K

136.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$238 ¥38.7K

154.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$852 ¥138.5K

214.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$660 ¥107.3K

103.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,841 ¥786.5K

113.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,213 ¥359.5K

125.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,826 ¥296.7K

27.58%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $474 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 28% 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 $41.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $279 – 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,781 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 52% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $495 per month in Tokyo and $409 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 $1,188, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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 $1,188 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 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.