Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kamakura Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kamakura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,293 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $2,024 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,754 in Kamakura.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 32% more expensive than in Kamakura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Kamakura is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.83 ¥1,109

18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.72 ¥5,642

40.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.45 ¥885

0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.11 ¥506

15.76%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.19 ¥194

6.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.75 ¥122

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.04 ¥332

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.11 ¥505

74.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.50 ¥244

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.69 ¥275

-10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.84 ¥787

10.33%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.23 ¥363

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$13.73 ¥2,231

16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.77 ¥1,100

19.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$17.60 ¥2,860

28.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$6.18 ¥1,004

-10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.82 ¥458

-8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.91 ¥635

51.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$6.14 ¥998

-1.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.23 ¥525

0.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.68 ¥435

26.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.33 ¥216

9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.06 ¥172

-17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.50 ¥569

21.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.04 ¥1,470

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.90 ¥308

7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.37 ¥385

21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.59 ¥259

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$54.9 ¥8,918

54.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.38 ¥549

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.93 ¥476

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$17.59 ¥2,858

49.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.23 ¥200

-2.44%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

0.53%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

3.23%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$145 ¥23.6K

15.56%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.29 ¥4,434

-5.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.55 ¥5,451

-0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.1 ¥9,118

26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.74 ¥2,233

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.47 ¥2,026

4.81%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$286 ¥46.5K

72.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$11.4K ¥1.9M

37.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$41.12 ¥6,681

49.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.44 ¥4,783

41.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$55.7 ¥9,054

18.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$91.2 ¥14.8K

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$462 ¥75.1K

142.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$325 ¥52.8K

86.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$877 ¥142.5K

205.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$669 ¥108.7K

100.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$3,876 ¥629.7K

167.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,385 ¥387.5K

109.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,727 ¥280.6K

34.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $462 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 35% 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: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $348 per month, with Kamakura cheaper across the board.

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 Kamakura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $462 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $286 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Kamakura versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kamakura is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Kamakura are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kamakura 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.