Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kawagoe Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kawagoe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,239 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $2,003 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,766 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 36% more expensive than Kawagoe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Kawagoe is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.99 ¥1,119

15.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.40 ¥5,503

40.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.08 ¥812

12.01%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.89 ¥463

23.53%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.06 ¥169

18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥120

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.04 ¥326

108.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.14 ¥342

147.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.75 ¥280

-9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.92 ¥307

-17.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$7.86 ¥1,257

-32.32%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.50 ¥239

60.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$12.05 ¥1,928

33.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$12.15 ¥1,943

-35.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$16.81 ¥2,688

37.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$7.69 ¥1,229

-31.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.55 ¥407

0.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.60 ¥736

24.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.60 ¥737

29.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.69 ¥590

-13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.70 ¥592

-5.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$2.31 ¥370

-35.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.24 ¥198

-27.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.23 ¥676

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$8.25 ¥1,319

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.57 ¥411

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.38 ¥541

-14.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.58 ¥253

-6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.1 ¥8,805

54.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.44 ¥550

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.98 ¥477

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$20.79 ¥3,325

28.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.20 ¥192

1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$24.0K ¥3.8M

-2.46%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

2.66%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$84.9 ¥13.6K

92.64%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$10.57 ¥1,691

151.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$17.16 ¥2,744

97.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$74.2 ¥11.9K

-7.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.04 ¥2,245

43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.34 ¥1,814

15.17%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$281 ¥45.0K

80.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.74 ¥6,837

40.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$30.01 ¥4,801

34.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.1 ¥9,620

7.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$96.0 ¥15.4K

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$464 ¥74.2K

135.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$325 ¥51.9K

83.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$865 ¥138.4K

201.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$660 ¥105.6K

102.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$2,468 ¥394.8K

337.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,363 ¥378.0K

110.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,589 ¥254.1K

57.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $464 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $34.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $395, with Tokyo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Kawagoe differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,239 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 57% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $464 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,684 per month in Tokyo versus $1,239 in Kawagoe – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,239 in Kawagoe versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Kawagoe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.