Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kitakyushu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Kitakyushu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Tokyo vs $1,290 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,739 per month in Tokyo vs $1,998 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,765 per month in Tokyo vs $2,706 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 33% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 28% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,354

$7.35 ¥1,175

15.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.34 ¥7,892

$42.01 ¥6,719

17.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$4.93 ¥788

15.01%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥576

$3.02 ¥483

19.21%

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

$1.25 ¥200

$1.09 ¥174

14.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.77 ¥124

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥681

$2.62 ¥419

62.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥843

$3.21 ¥513

64.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥261

$1.56 ¥250

4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.66 ¥266

-8.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 ¥889

$4.05 ¥648

37.28%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥374

$2.54 ¥407

-7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥2,541

$10.11 ¥1,617

57.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ¥1,244

$6.22 ¥995

25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.52 ¥3,602

$20.46 ¥3,273

10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥855

$3.18 ¥508

68.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$1.36 ¥218

94.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ¥935

$1.37 ¥219

326.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ¥967

$3.12 ¥500

93.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥517

$2.83 ¥453

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥534

$3.12 ¥498

7.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ¥239

$0.92 ¥147

61.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.79 ¥127

16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥672

$3.99 ¥638

5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$6.19 ¥990

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.95 ¥312

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥474

$2.13 ¥341

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥225

$1.65 ¥263

-14.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 ¥13.1K

$55.6 ¥8,888

47.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$4.67 ¥748

-25.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥481

$2.92 ¥467

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.66 ¥4,264

$19.35 ¥3,095

37.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.18 ¥189

5.93%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-0.27%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$19.8K ¥3.2M

-12.68%

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

$167 ¥26.7K

$217 ¥34.7K

-22.96%

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

$26.17 ¥4,186

$26.66 ¥4,263

-1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 ¥5,434

$35.62 ¥5,697

-4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ¥11.1K

$56.4 ¥9,022

22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 ¥3,215

$13.65 ¥2,183

47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 ¥2,094

$14.11 ¥2,256

-7.23%

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

$512 ¥81.8K

$418 ¥66.8K

22.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ¥9,846

$43.39 ¥6,939

41.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ¥6,470

$28.98 ¥4,635

39.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$64.9 ¥10.4K

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.5K

$59.5 ¥9,512

52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥178.8K

$463 ¥74.1K

141.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥94.9K

$328 ¥52.5K

80.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 ¥430.4K

$856 ¥136.9K

214.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ¥213.5K

$662 ¥105.9K

101.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K ¥1.7M

$4,507 ¥720.9K

138.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ¥796.6K

$2,376 ¥380.0K

109.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 ¥398.3K

$1,503 ¥240.3K

65.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,118 in Tokyo versus $463 in Kitakyushu. 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 66% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $42.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $281 – making Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,714 in Tokyo, $1,290 in Kitakyushu – roughly 33% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Tokyo and $1,935 in Kitakyushu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo and $42.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,290, than in Tokyo at $1,714. In Kitakyushu 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 $1,290 in Kitakyushu to $1,714 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 Kitakyushu. 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.