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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,249 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,928 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,606 in Koriyama.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 35% more expensive than Koriyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Koriyama is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,297

$6.87 ¥1,102

17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,743

$34.91 ¥5,595

38.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥912

$5.35 ¥857

6.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥572

$3.03 ¥486

17.82%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.07 ¥172

17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥121

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥682

$2.58 ¥414

64.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥850

$3.10 ¥497

70.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.60 ¥256

-1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.58 ¥253

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥853

$4.74 ¥759

12.24%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.21 ¥354

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,571

$10.03 ¥1,609

59.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,258

$6.25 ¥1,002

25.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,712

$15.41 ¥2,470

50.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥838

$5.42 ¥869

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.54 ¥408

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥919

$4.11 ¥659

39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥957

$5.71 ¥916

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥515

$3.16 ¥507

1.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥563

$2.64 ¥424

32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.38 ¥221

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.83 ¥133

8.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥685

$4.23 ¥679

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,505

$7.33 ¥1,175

28.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥344

$1.85 ¥296

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥462

$2.25 ¥361

28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥257

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.7 ¥8,933

52.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥560

$3.42 ¥548

2.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥459

$2.98 ¥478

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,291

$20.68 ¥3,315

29.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.18 ¥189

3.39%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.15%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

0.06%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$144 ¥23.1K

13.58%

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

$26.63 ¥4,268

$26.95 ¥4,319

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,440

$34.34 ¥5,505

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.1K

$55.3 ¥8,865

24.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,224

$14.04 ¥2,250

43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,093

$12.63 ¥2,025

3.40%

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

$506 ¥81.1K

$277 ¥44.5K

82.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

15.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,632

$43.85 ¥7,029

37.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,462

$29.35 ¥4,705

37.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.4K

$60.2 ¥9,648

7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.3K

$477 ¥76.4K

129.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.6K

$333 ¥53.4K

79.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥418.3K

$857 ¥137.4K

204.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.6K

$653 ¥104.7K

105.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$5,244 ¥840.6K

106.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥797.3K

$2,162 ¥346.6K

130.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $477 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $313 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,249 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,526 in Tokyo and $1,873 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $477 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 $506 in Tokyo versus $277 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,249 in Koriyama versus $1,684 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 35% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.