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: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,191 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,875 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,560 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 20% above, Koriyama is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.03 ¥942

21.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$29.13 ¥4,551

27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.73 ¥738

5.29%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.10 ¥484

17.74%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.08 ¥169

56.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.71 ¥111

29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.81 ¥438

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.08 ¥481

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.39 ¥217

11.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.69 ¥264

1.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$4.55 ¥711

30.11%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.10 ¥329

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$10.31 ¥1,610

10.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$6.14 ¥959

24.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$16.22 ¥2,534

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$4.74 ¥741

9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.54 ¥397

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$3.28 ¥513

41.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.64 ¥725

27.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.28 ¥356

55.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.19 ¥343

57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.30 ¥203

-6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.69 ¥107

24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.47 ¥543

14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$8.56 ¥1,338

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.91 ¥298

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.07 ¥323

46.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.58 ¥247

-22.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$55.4 ¥8,652

22.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.12 ¥488

1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$3.07 ¥480

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$17.11 ¥2,672

6.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.03 ¥161

0.97%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$23.1K ¥3.6M

-6.26%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

5.47%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$119 ¥18.6K

31.60%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$22.87 ¥3,573

-3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$28.41 ¥4,438

6.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$52.0 ¥8,121

20.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$12.21 ¥1,907

0.74%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$611 ¥95.4K

112.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$11.1K ¥1.7M

59.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$50.1 ¥7,821

2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$27.42 ¥4,283

17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$54.3 ¥8,488

15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$101 ¥15.8K

-26.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$433 ¥67.6K

184.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$352 ¥55.0K

87.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,063 ¥166.0K

122.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$631 ¥98.6K

115.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,291 ¥670.3K

103.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,813 ¥283.2K

117.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.06

-6.31%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $433 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $29.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $298 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 ($1,653 vs $1,191 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,480 in Tokyo and $1,786 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $433 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 22% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $611 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,191 in Koriyama versus $1,653 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.