Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kanazawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kanazawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,170 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,850 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,531 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 41% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$5.15 ¥804

41.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$31.28 ¥4,886

18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.89 ¥764

1.84%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.97 ¥463

22.90%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.42 ¥222

19.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.74 ¥115

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.65 ¥413

37.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.72 ¥580

36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.44 ¥225

7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.29 ¥202

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$5.17 ¥807

14.51%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.10 ¥329

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$9.34 ¥1,459

21.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$9.39 ¥1,467

-18.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$18.24 ¥2,850

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$3.26 ¥509

58.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$1.99 ¥310

26.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.00 ¥313

132.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$3.93 ¥614

50.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$1.47 ¥230

140.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$1.12 ¥174

207.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.30 ¥204

-6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.76 ¥119

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.94 ¥616

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.92 ¥300

-7.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$3.22 ¥503

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.51 ¥235

-18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$54.9 ¥8,577

23.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.77 ¥590

-16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$3.09 ¥483

-1.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$21.18 ¥3,309

-14.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.08 ¥168

-3.70%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-0.04%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-0.45%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$136 ¥21.3K

15.09%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.23 ¥3,786

-8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.87 ¥4,822

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$42.52 ¥6,643

47.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.45 ¥1,789

7.42%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$507 ¥79.2K

156.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

35.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$43.28 ¥6,762

18.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$30.70 ¥4,796

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$72.3 ¥11.3K

-13.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$89.3 ¥14.0K

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$401 ¥62.6K

206.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$332 ¥51.9K

98.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,019 ¥159.2K

132.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$638 ¥99.7K

112.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$3,731 ¥582.8K

134.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,887 ¥294.7K

109.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,867 ¥291.7K

52.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.21

-12.67%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kanazawa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $401 in Kanazawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 52% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo versus $31.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $298 – making Kanazawa 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 Kanazawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo, $1,170 in Kanazawa – roughly 41% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,754 in Kanazawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,653 in Tokyo and $1,170 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,170, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,170 in Kanazawa to $1,653 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kanazawa. 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.