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: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,160 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,827 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,494 in Kamakura.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 43% more expensive than in Kamakura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Kamakura is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$6.10 ¥950

19.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$30.78 ¥4,790

20.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$5.03 ¥782

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$2.45 ¥382

48.98%

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

$1.69 ¥262

$1.04 ¥161

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.80 ¥124

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$2.56 ¥399

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$3.08 ¥480

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.43 ¥223

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.48 ¥231

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$3.51 ¥547

68.66%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$2.04 ¥318

9.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$11.70 ¥1,821

-2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$6.11 ¥951

25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$14.18 ¥2,206

41.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$5.46 ¥850

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$2.76 ¥430

-9.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$2.89 ¥450

60.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$4.06 ¥631

45.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$2.57 ¥400

37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$2.60 ¥404

32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.16 ¥180

5.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$0.76 ¥118

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$3.85 ¥599

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$6.11 ¥951

55.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.73 ¥269

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$2.09 ¥325

44.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$1.43 ¥222

-13.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$61.1 ¥9,509

10.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$3.15 ¥490

0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.53 ¥395

20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$15.53 ¥2,417

16.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.05 ¥164

-0.95%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

0.75%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-3.07%

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

$157 ¥24.4K

$115 ¥17.8K

36.91%

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

$22.07 ¥3,435

$22.79 ¥3,547

-3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$31.02 ¥4,827

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$49.61 ¥7,721

26.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$12.63 ¥1,966

-2.61%

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

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$562 ¥87.5K

131.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

22.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$49.25 ¥7,665

3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$32.37 ¥5,038

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$59.0 ¥9,183

6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$98.8 ¥15.4K

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$526 ¥81.9K

133.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$311 ¥48.4K

112.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$931 ¥144.8K

154.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$829 ¥129.1K

63.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,636 ¥721.6K

88.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$1,794 ¥279.1K

119.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

$1,755 ¥273.1K

62.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

1.66

16.27%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $526 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 62% 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: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $31.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $287 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $526 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $562 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,653 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 43% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.