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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,196 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,871 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,547 in Kanazawa, rent included.

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

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$5.69 ¥910

42.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.23 ¥5,634

37.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.82 ¥772

18.05%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.32 ¥532

7.53%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.09 ¥174

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.72 ¥115

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.80 ¥447

51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.40 ¥705

20.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.61 ¥257

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.50 ¥239

6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.69 ¥749

13.43%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.44 ¥390

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.62 ¥1,699

51.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.33 ¥1,012

24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$19.04 ¥3,045

21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.64 ¥582

43.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.19 ¥351

17.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$2.58 ¥412

122.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.45 ¥711

34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$1.66 ¥265

93.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.24 ¥198

183.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.89 ¥142

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.84 ¥614

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.13 ¥1,461

2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.07 ¥331

3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.00 ¥480

-4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥258

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.8 ¥8,767

54.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.54 ¥725

-23.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.36 ¥537

-14.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$23.66 ¥3,785

13.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.18 ¥188

3.39%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.05%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

2.79%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$130 ¥20.8K

25.54%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.51 ¥4,400

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$30.22 ¥4,833

12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$48.01 ¥7,680

43.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.76 ¥2,201

46.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.65 ¥2,023

3.24%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$70.4 ¥11.3K

618.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

50.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.98 ¥7,034

36.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.19 ¥4,669

38.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$66.6 ¥10.7K

-2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$94.4 ¥15.1K

-3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$476 ¥76.1K

129.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$332 ¥53.1K

79.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$867 ¥138.6K

201.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$658 ¥105.2K

103.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,365 ¥698.2K

147.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,655 ¥424.7K

87.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,846 ¥295.2K

35.51%

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 Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $476 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 36% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $302 – 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: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,196 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 $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,794 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 $1,684 in Tokyo and $1,196 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% 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 $1,196, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,196 in Kanazawa to $1,684 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.