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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,733 per month in Tokyo vs $1,278 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Tokyo vs $1,974 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,760 per month in Tokyo vs $2,669 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 36% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 30% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ¥1,273

$7.34 ¥1,157

10.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 ¥7,656

$41.29 ¥6,506

17.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥855

$4.94 ¥779

9.72%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$3.20 ¥504

13.44%

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

$1.20 ¥189

$1.09 ¥172

10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.75 ¥118

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ¥637

$2.63 ¥414

53.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ¥867

$3.05 ¥480

80.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.55 ¥244

5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥250

$1.64 ¥259

-3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 ¥845

$4.29 ¥676

24.94%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥371

$2.55 ¥401

-7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,482

$10.23 ¥1,612

53.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ¥1,233

$6.28 ¥989

24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 ¥3,639

$20.94 ¥3,300

10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 ¥838

$3.21 ¥506

65.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥415

$1.36 ¥214

93.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 ¥936

$1.41 ¥223

321.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥929

$3.29 ¥519

79.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$2.71 ¥427

23.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$3.17 ¥499

5.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ¥225

$0.92 ¥145

54.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.75 ¥119

18.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥673

$3.84 ¥605

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,471

$6.21 ¥979

50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$1.95 ¥307

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥466

$2.10 ¥331

40.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥222

$1.65 ¥259

-14.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 ¥12.9K

$55.3 ¥8,718

47.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥559

$4.55 ¥717

-21.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥451

$2.92 ¥460

-2.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 ¥4,193

$19.38 ¥3,054

37.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.23 ¥193

-3.25%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

2.16%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$20.0K ¥3.2M

-12.47%

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

$167 ¥26.3K

$216 ¥34.0K

-22.75%

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

$26.04 ¥4,103

$27.59 ¥4,348

-5.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 ¥5,177

$35.33 ¥5,566

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ¥11.1K

$56.0 ¥8,829

25.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 ¥3,274

$13.63 ¥2,148

52.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 ¥2,069

$13.98 ¥2,203

-6.08%

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

$501 ¥78.9K

$408 ¥64.2K

22.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$13.5K ¥2.1M

15.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ¥9,521

$42.79 ¥6,742

41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 ¥6,379

$29.20 ¥4,600

38.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$65.2 ¥10.3K

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.3K

$60.5 ¥9,524

49.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 ¥175.2K

$467 ¥73.6K

138.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥93.6K

$334 ¥52.7K

77.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ¥410.8K

$867 ¥136.6K

200.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ¥206.3K

$663 ¥104.5K

97.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$4,260 ¥671.3K

145.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,871 ¥767.4K

$2,070 ¥326.1K

135.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

$1,463 ¥230.5K

60.36%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,112 in Tokyo versus $467 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 60% 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 $41.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $284 – 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: $1,733 in Tokyo, $1,278 in Kitakyushu – roughly 36% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,599 per month in Tokyo and $1,918 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 35% 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 $41.00 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 $1,278, than in Tokyo at $1,733. 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 $1,278 in Kitakyushu to $1,733 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.