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: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,170 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,891 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,612 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 41% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Kawagoe is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$6.41 ¥997

14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$39.89 ¥6,209

-6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$4.87 ¥758

2.26%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$3.35 ¥522

8.96%

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

$1.69 ¥262

$0.92 ¥142

83.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.52 ¥80.4

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$1.92 ¥299

90.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$2.67 ¥416

89.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.16 ¥181

33.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.23 ¥192

39.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$3.69 ¥574

60.43%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$2.06 ¥320

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$6.11 ¥951

85.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$5.87 ¥914

30.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$14.07 ¥2,190

42.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$5.53 ¥860

-6.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$2.31 ¥360

8.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$2.90 ¥451

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$3.22 ¥501

83.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$2.60 ¥405

36.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$1.91 ¥298

80.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.27 ¥198

-3.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$0.80 ¥125

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$3.84 ¥598

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$4.77 ¥742

99.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.81 ¥282

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$2.05 ¥319

47.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$2.92 ¥455

-57.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$157 ¥24.4K

-56.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$3.10 ¥482

1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.53 ¥394

20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$20.12 ¥3,131

-9.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.10 ¥172

-5.45%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$15.5K ¥2.4M

40.06%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$12.7K ¥2.0M

15.77%

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

$157 ¥24.4K

$129 ¥20.0K

22.12%

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

$22.07 ¥3,435

$22.10 ¥3,439

-0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$31.22 ¥4,860

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$42.24 ¥6,575

48.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

$31.63 ¥4,923

-19.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$11.11 ¥1,729

10.71%

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

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$319 ¥49.7K

307.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$6,317 ¥983.1K

180.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$31.01 ¥4,826

65.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$32.31 ¥5,029

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$43.76 ¥6,810

43.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$92.9 ¥14.5K

-19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$409 ¥63.6K

200.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$271 ¥42.2K

143.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$838 ¥130.4K

182.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$590 ¥91.8K

130.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$2,543 ¥395.8K

244.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$1,241 ¥193.1K

217.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

$1,589 ¥247.3K

78.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

1.6

20.62%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $409 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 79% 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: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $40.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $255, with Kawagoe 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,653 vs $1,170 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Tokyo, 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $409 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 $40.00 versus $37.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,653 per month in Tokyo versus $1,170 in Kawagoe – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,170 in Kawagoe versus $1,653 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 41% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.