Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Matsudo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Matsudo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,193 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,885 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,576 in Matsudo.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Matsudo is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$6.14 ¥956

19.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$40.56 ¥6,312

-8.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$5.02 ¥782

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$3.31 ¥515

10.27%

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

$1.69 ¥262

$1.09 ¥169

55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.73 ¥114

26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$2.43 ¥378

50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$3.20 ¥497

58.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.36 ¥212

13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.65 ¥258

4.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$3.65 ¥568

62.19%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$2.05 ¥320

8.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$11.11 ¥1,730

2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$5.96 ¥927

28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$14.51 ¥2,258

38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$5.08 ¥791

1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$2.44 ¥380

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$2.78 ¥433

66.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$4.04 ¥629

46.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$2.57 ¥400

37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$2.60 ¥404

32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.25 ¥195

-2.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$0.80 ¥125

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$3.85 ¥600

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$6.33 ¥985

50.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.71 ¥266

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$1.99 ¥310

52.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$1.49 ¥232

-17.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$55.2 ¥8,595

22.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$3.10 ¥482

1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.47 ¥384

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$18.19 ¥2,831

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

1.44%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.3M

-2.25%

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

$157 ¥24.4K

$131 ¥20.4K

19.64%

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

$22.07 ¥3,435

$22.48 ¥3,499

-1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$30.26 ¥4,710

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$49.68 ¥7,732

25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$12.68 ¥1,974

-3.00%

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

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$614 ¥95.5K

111.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

22.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$51.5 ¥8,021

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$32.64 ¥5,079

-0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$61.3 ¥9,533

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$74.9 ¥11.7K

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$503 ¥78.3K

144.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$326 ¥50.7K

102.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$1,201 ¥186.9K

97.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$723 ¥112.5K

87.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,522 ¥703.9K

93.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$2,032 ¥316.2K

94.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $503 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $41.00 in Matsudo. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $284, with Matsudo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Matsudo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matsudo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,480 in Tokyo and $1,790 in Matsudo 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 $503 in Matsudo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Matsudo 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 $614 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,193 in Matsudo versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matsudo but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Matsudo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Matsudo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Matsudo 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 Matsudo 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.