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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,146 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,863 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,580 in Matsudo.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 48% more expensive than in Matsudo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Matsudo is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$7.13 ¥1,159

13.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.59 ¥5,621

40.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.31 ¥863

3.20%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.15 ¥512

14.29%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.13 ¥183

12.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.80 ¥131

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.04 ¥331

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.03 ¥331

167.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.55 ¥252

4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.69 ¥275

-10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$5.05 ¥820

5.74%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.58 ¥256

46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.15 ¥1,649

57.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.41 ¥1,042

26.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.24 ¥2,477

47.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.99 ¥973

-7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$3.17 ¥514

-18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.97 ¥646

49.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.61 ¥749

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.32 ¥540

-2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.57 ¥580

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.34 ¥218

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.83 ¥134

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.28 ¥696

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.46 ¥1,537

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.76 ¥286

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.10 ¥342

36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.61 ¥261

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.8 ¥9,062

51.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.52 ¥573

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.99 ¥485

-2.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.75 ¥3,534

20.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.14 ¥185

5.26%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.8M

1.63%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-7.05%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$82.0 ¥13.3K

104.41%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.63 ¥4,490

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$17.47 ¥2,838

91.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.1 ¥8,945

28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.93 ¥2,264

45.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$11.29 ¥1,834

15.77%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$277 ¥45.0K

78.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

13.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$41.38 ¥6,723

48.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.57 ¥4,804

40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$60.6 ¥9,838

8.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$97.7 ¥15.9K

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$476 ¥77.4K

135.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$332 ¥53.9K

82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$857 ¥139.3K

212.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$659 ¥107.1K

103.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,109 ¥667.6K

152.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,141 ¥347.9K

132.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,974 ¥320.7K

18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.05

-16.10%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $476 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Matsudo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $319 per month, with Matsudo 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 Matsudo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matsudo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Tokyo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $476 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 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 $277 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,146 in Matsudo versus $1,701 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 48% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.