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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,294 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,992 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,690 in Kamakura.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 30% more expensive than Kamakura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Kamakura is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.05 ¥1,127

14.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.17 ¥5,625

37.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.67 ¥907

0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.13 ¥501

14.06%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.21 ¥194

4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.76 ¥121

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.07 ¥331

105.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.19 ¥509

66.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.52 ¥244

3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.75 ¥281

-9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$5.02 ¥803

5.98%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.27 ¥364

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$13.81 ¥2,209

16.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.87 ¥1,099

14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$17.62 ¥2,818

31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.91 ¥946

-11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.89 ¥462

-11.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.09 ¥654

40.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.09 ¥974

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.27 ¥523

-1.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.57 ¥411

36.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.06 ¥169

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.41 ¥545

25.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.27 ¥1,483

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.84 ¥294

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.39 ¥383

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥258

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.3 ¥8,849

53.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.98 ¥477

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$17.59 ¥2,814

52.19%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.57%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

3.08%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$143 ¥22.9K

14.39%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.75 ¥4,278

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.96 ¥5,432

-0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.4 ¥8,853

24.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.04 ¥2,245

43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.51 ¥2,001

4.40%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$287 ¥45.8K

76.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

38.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.28 ¥6,763

42.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.29 ¥4,685

37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$56.6 ¥9,046

14.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$93.6 ¥15.0K

-2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$476 ¥76.2K

129.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$326 ¥52.2K

82.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$864 ¥138.2K

201.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$656 ¥104.9K

104.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,481 ¥716.7K

141.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,206 ¥352.9K

125.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,760 ¥281.5K

42.12%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $476 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 42% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $350 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tokyo pays 42% more on average, 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $476 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $287 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,684 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 30% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.