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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,163 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,837 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,511 in Matsudo.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 45% more expensive than Matsudo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Matsudo is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.96 ¥1,113

16.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.74 ¥5,556

39.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.35 ¥856

6.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.19 ¥511

11.91%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.13 ¥181

11.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.76 ¥121

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.03 ¥325

109.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.10 ¥336

152.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.50 ¥239

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.66 ¥265

-4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.85 ¥776

9.69%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.55 ¥248

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$9.92 ¥1,586

61.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.21 ¥993

26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.23 ¥2,436

52.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.99 ¥958

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.09 ¥493

-16.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.14 ¥662

38.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.62 ¥738

29.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.32 ¥531

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.56 ¥569

-1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.33 ¥213

11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.87 ¥139

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.08 ¥653

4.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.64 ¥1,541

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.84 ¥295

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.11 ¥338

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥256

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.5 ¥8,722

55.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.41 ¥545

2.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.89 ¥463

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$22.09 ¥3,533

21.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.15 ¥183

6.09%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.62%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥2.9M

-4.12%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$84.5 ¥13.5K

93.60%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.96 ¥4,472

-4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$17.25 ¥2,759

96.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.7 ¥9,068

21.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.60 ¥2,176

47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.40 ¥1,823

14.56%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$283 ¥45.3K

78.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

11.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$40.94 ¥6,548

46.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.67 ¥4,746

35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.3 ¥9,639

7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$95.8 ¥15.3K

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$476 ¥76.2K

129.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$332 ¥53.1K

79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$878 ¥140.5K

197.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$663 ¥106.1K

101.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,662 ¥745.6K

131.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,596 ¥415.2K

91.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,996 ¥319.3K

25.30%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $476 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 25% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Matsudo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $317 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tokyo pays 25% more on average, 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: $1,094 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 56% 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 $283 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,163 in Matsudo versus $1,684 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 45% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.