Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Koriyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Koriyama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,225 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,909 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,594 in Koriyama.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 39% more expensive than in Koriyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Koriyama is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$7.04 ¥1,143

14.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.70 ¥5,639

40.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.25 ¥853

4.38%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.05 ¥496

18.03%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.06 ¥172

19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.76 ¥124

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.55 ¥414

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.08 ¥500

76.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.60 ¥260

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.57 ¥255

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.88 ¥793

9.43%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.29 ¥371

1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.99 ¥1,623

59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.51 ¥1,057

24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.31 ¥2,487

47.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.46 ¥887

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.63 ¥428

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.95 ¥641

49.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.86 ¥952

3.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.06 ¥497

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.58 ¥419

31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.32 ¥214

9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.83 ¥135

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.14 ¥673

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.29 ¥1,184

27.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.86 ¥302

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.25 ¥366

27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.64 ¥267

-9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.6 ¥9,028

52.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.41 ¥555

-0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.00 ¥488

-3.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.74 ¥3,370

26.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.19 ¥193

0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

0.62%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.5K ¥2.9M

-1.95%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$146 ¥23.7K

14.99%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.97 ¥4,382

-4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.93 ¥5,513

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.5 ¥9,011

27.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$14.09 ¥2,289

43.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.44 ¥2,021

5.06%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$282 ¥45.9K

75.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.3K ¥2.2M

18.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.45 ¥7,060

41.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.86 ¥4,851

39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$59.4 ¥9,657

10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$92.3 ¥15.0K

-1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$475 ¥77.1K

135.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$324 ¥52.7K

86.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$872 ¥141.7K

207.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$658 ¥106.9K

103.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,832 ¥785.2K

114.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,187 ¥355.3K

127.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $475 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $315 per month, with Koriyama cheaper across the board.

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 Koriyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Koriyama differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,225 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,552 in Tokyo and $1,837 in Koriyama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $475 in Koriyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Koriyama runs roughly 52% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $282 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,225 in Koriyama versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koriyama but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Koriyama 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 Koriyama 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 Koriyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.