Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kashiwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kashiwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,325 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,836 in Kashiwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,347 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 27% more than Kashiwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Kashiwa is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.99 ¥1,118

15.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$27.94 ¥4,469

72.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.67 ¥907

0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.09 ¥494

15.53%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.84 ¥135

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.78 ¥124

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.14 ¥342

98.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.72 ¥435

94.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.23 ¥197

28.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.13 ¥181

40.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$5.06 ¥809

5.14%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.03 ¥325

18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$7.04 ¥1,126

127.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.39 ¥1,023

22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$10.32 ¥1,651

124.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$4.97 ¥794

5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.83 ¥452

-9.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.03 ¥645

42.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.10 ¥975

-2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.75 ¥439

16.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.23 ¥357

57.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.70 ¥112

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.57 ¥90.4

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.06 ¥650

5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.38 ¥1,501

0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.84 ¥295

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.03 ¥325

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.56 ¥250

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.4 ¥8,699

56.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.37 ¥539

3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.38 ¥380

20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$22.04 ¥3,525

21.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥191

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.53%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥2.9M

-4.01%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$143 ¥22.9K

14.26%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.74 ¥4,437

-4.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.75 ¥5,398

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.6 ¥8,893

24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.14 ¥2,261

42.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.57 ¥2,171

-3.76%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$281 ¥45.0K

80.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

12.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$41.98 ¥6,715

43.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$28.95 ¥4,631

39.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.6 ¥9,684

6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$111 ¥17.7K

-17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$636 ¥101.7K

72.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$436 ¥69.8K

36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$838 ¥134.0K

211.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$525 ¥84.0K

154.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,667 ¥746.4K

131.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,247 ¥359.4K

121.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$2,486 ¥397.6K

0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.05

-16.10%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kashiwa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $636 in Kashiwa. 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 1% 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 $28.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $279 – making Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,325 in Kashiwa – roughly 27% 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 $1,987 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $281 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kashiwa, where all-in costs run around $1,325, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Kashiwa 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 $1,325 in Kashiwa 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 Kashiwa. 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.