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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,260 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,991 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,722 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 35% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Kawagoe is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.88 ¥1,117

17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.69 ¥5,636

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.09 ¥827

7.66%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$2.87 ¥466

25.44%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.01 ¥165

25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.74 ¥120

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.11 ¥343

93.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.13 ¥347

155.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.68 ¥272

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.97 ¥321

-23.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$7.86 ¥1,277

-32.06%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.51 ¥245

53.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$12.32 ¥2,001

29.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$12.25 ¥1,990

-33.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$16.59 ¥2,696

35.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$7.76 ¥1,260

-28.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.56 ¥417

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.38 ¥711

35.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.49 ¥729

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.61 ¥587

-10.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.67 ¥597

-7.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.38 ¥224

5.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.20 ¥195

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.31 ¥701

-1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.84 ¥1,273

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.49 ¥404

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.44 ¥560

-16.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.67 ¥272

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$56.1 ¥9,121

50.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.52 ¥572

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.88 ¥468

1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.84 ¥3,385

25.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.14 ¥185

5.26%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$24.3K ¥3.9M

-3.06%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

-0.09%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$82.3 ¥13.4K

103.67%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$10.55 ¥1,715

144.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$17.24 ¥2,802

94.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-3.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$14.10 ¥2,291

43.62%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$11.63 ¥1,890

12.38%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$276 ¥44.9K

78.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

16.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$42.49 ¥6,904

44.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.86 ¥4,852

39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$59.2 ¥9,615

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$97.7 ¥15.9K

-6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$476 ¥77.4K

135.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$323 ¥52.5K

87.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$872 ¥141.7K

207.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$658 ¥106.8K

104.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,500 ¥406.1K

314.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,117 ¥343.9K

135.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,550 ¥251.9K

50.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $476 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 50% 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: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 vs $389, 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,260 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $476 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 $35.00 versus $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,701 per month in Tokyo versus $1,260 in Kawagoe – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,701 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 35% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.