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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,240 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,907 in Kamiyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,574 in Kamiyama, rent included.

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

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Kamiyama is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.73 ¥1,093

20.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.58 ¥5,618

41.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.68 ¥923

-3.52%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.05 ¥495

18.03%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.09 ¥177

16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.75 ¥121

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.13 ¥345

91.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.15 ¥512

72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.59 ¥258

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.66 ¥270

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.89 ¥794

9.20%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.22 ¥360

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.24 ¥1,664

55.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.45 ¥1,049

25.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.47 ¥2,514

45.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.53 ¥898

-0.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.56 ¥416

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.12 ¥669

43.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.68 ¥760

29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.33 ¥541

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.67 ¥435

26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.38 ¥225

5.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.87 ¥141

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.08 ¥662

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$6.71 ¥1,091

38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.98 ¥322

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.28 ¥371

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.66 ¥270

-10.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$56.4 ¥9,161

50.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.40 ¥553

-0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.92 ¥474

-0.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.61 ¥3,349

27.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.19 ¥193

0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.15%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

2.12%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$139 ¥22.7K

20.26%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.33 ¥4,441

-5.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.79 ¥5,490

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$57.0 ¥9,257

24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.74 ¥2,233

47.38%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.15 ¥2,136

-0.61%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$281 ¥45.6K

76.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.3K ¥2.2M

18.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.01 ¥6,989

43.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.61 ¥4,811

40.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$61.2 ¥9,949

7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$93.1 ¥15.1K

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$474 ¥77.0K

136.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$335 ¥54.5K

80.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$854 ¥138.8K

213.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$646 ¥104.9K

107.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,832 ¥460.1K

265.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,114 ¥343.4K

135.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kamiyama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $474 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Kamiyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $312 – 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,859 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 23% 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 $49.00 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 $1,240, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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.