Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kamiyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kamiyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,227 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,911 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,596 in Kamiyama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Kamiyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Kamiyama is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.97 ¥1,115

16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.65 ¥5,542

39.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.68 ¥909

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.16 ¥506

12.97%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.10 ¥176

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.81 ¥130

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.11 ¥338

101.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.15 ¥504

68.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.53 ¥245

3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.65 ¥264

-3.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.70 ¥751

13.19%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.28 ¥365

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.01 ¥1,601

60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.13 ¥981

28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.19 ¥2,430

52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.36 ¥858

-2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.66 ¥426

-3.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.99 ¥638

43.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.46 ¥713

33.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.35 ¥536

-4.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.55 ¥408

37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.37 ¥220

8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.86 ¥138

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.06 ¥649

5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.53 ¥1,045

43.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.90 ¥304

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.31 ¥370

24.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.67 ¥267

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.7 ¥8,904

52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.55 ¥567

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.99 ¥478

-4.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$20.44 ¥3,269

30.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ¥198

-1.61%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

2.96%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.59%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$139 ¥22.2K

17.89%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.56 ¥4,248

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.39 ¥5,501

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.7 ¥9,072

21.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.67 ¥2,187

47.11%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.23 ¥2,117

-1.28%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$286 ¥45.7K

77.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

15.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.88 ¥6,859

40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.72 ¥4,753

35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$59.5 ¥9,513

8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$92.0 ¥14.7K

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$466 ¥74.5K

134.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$332 ¥53.2K

79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$858 ¥137.3K

204.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$654 ¥104.6K

104.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$2,758 ¥441.1K

291.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,897 ¥303.4K

162.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kamiyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $466 in Kamiyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Kamiyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $305 – making Kamiyama 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 Kamiyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,840 in Kamiyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamiyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo and $35.00 in Kamiyama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kamiyama, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Kamiyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kamiyama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kamiyama. 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.