Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kamakura

For one person, living is cheaper in Kamakura: $1,138 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Kamakura
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Kamakura Living Index

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Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,648

/mo nomad

Kamakura

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Kamakura

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Kamakura actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,648 in Tokyo versus $1,138 in Kamakura.

Tokyo $1,648
Kamakura $1,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Tokyo versus $1,853 in Kamakura.

Tokyo $2,604
Kamakura $1,853

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,561 in Tokyo versus $2,568 in Kamakura.

Tokyo $3,561
Kamakura $2,568

Living in Tokyo is roughly 45% more expensive than in Kamakura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 22% above, Kamakura is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ¥1,230

$6.18 ¥976

26.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.57 ¥6,094

$31.14 ¥4,920

23.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥788

$5.03 ¥795

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ¥565

$2.45 ¥388

46.12%

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

$1.57 ¥249

$1.09 ¥172

44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥142

$0.76 ¥120

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ¥593

$2.55 ¥402

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ¥825

$3.17 ¥501

64.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥246

$1.43 ¥227

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ¥277

$1.53 ¥242

14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 ¥879

$3.56 ¥562

56.18%

Eggs

$2.25 ¥355

$1.98 ¥312

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 ¥1,787

$10.36 ¥1,638

9.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ¥1,068

$6.21 ¥981

8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 ¥2,658

$14.45 ¥2,283

16.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 ¥736

$5.56 ¥879

-16.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ¥359

$2.69 ¥425

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 ¥683

$2.80 ¥442

54.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 ¥826

$4.11 ¥649

27.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥526

$2.56 ¥404

30.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 ¥474

$2.61 ¥413

14.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥183

$1.18 ¥186

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

$0.76 ¥120

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ¥613

$3.76 ¥594

3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,506

$6.13 ¥968

55.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.81 ¥286

-9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥414

$2.06 ¥326

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ¥193

$1.50 ¥237

-18.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 ¥9,848

$49.83 ¥7,873

25.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 ¥505

$3.19 ¥504

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 ¥489

$2.72 ¥430

13.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 ¥2,954

$16.07 ¥2,540

16.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥175

$1.10 ¥174

0.91%

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

$22.0K ¥3.5M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

1.38%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

-1.44%

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

$148 ¥23.4K

$114 ¥18.0K

30.23%

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

$22.75 ¥3,594

$23.64 ¥3,735

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ¥4,717

$30.91 ¥4,883

-3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 ¥10.4K

$52.0 ¥8,218

25.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.19 ¥4,137

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 ¥2,089

$12.90 ¥2,038

2.48%

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

$1,314 ¥207.6K

$585 ¥92.4K

124.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$14.4K ¥2.3M

24.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ¥8,584

$49.91 ¥7,884

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 ¥5,172

$35.52 ¥5,612

-7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 ¥10.3K

$60.4 ¥9,543

8.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ¥11.2K

$97.5 ¥15.4K

-27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ¥203.4K

$483 ¥76.4K

166.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 ¥108.1K

$304 ¥48.1K

124.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,507 ¥396.1K

$1,075 ¥169.8K

133.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 ¥230.6K

$761 ¥120.3K

91.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,204 ¥1.5M

$4,688 ¥740.6K

96.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,226 ¥667.6K

$1,728 ¥273.0K

144.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 ¥473.0K

$1,749 ¥276.4K

71.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.25

2.02

11.39%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tokyo

$684 41.5%

Kamakura

$304 26.7% 55.5% $380

Groceries & Markets

Tokyo

$326 19.8%

Kamakura

$285 25.1% 12.5% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tokyo

$201 12.2%

Kamakura

$168 14.8% 16.2% $32

Eating Out

Tokyo

$159 9.7%

Kamakura

$120 10.6% 24.4% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Tokyo

$100 6.1%

Kamakura

$110 9.6% 9.1% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Tokyo

$92 5.6%

Kamakura

$78 6.8% 15.4% $14

Getting Around

Tokyo

$86 5.2%

Kamakura

$73 6.4% 15.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Tokyo and $483 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 71% 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: $39.00 in Tokyo vs $31.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $285 per month, with Kamakura cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🇯🇵 Kamakura

🕒 Local time

01:05 1:05 AM

Same time as Tokyo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,613,660 Capital

172,710

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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, eating out, and leisure. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $1,288 in Tokyo versus $483 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,314 in Tokyo versus $585 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,138 in Kamakura versus $1,648 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 45% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.