Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Matsuyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Matsuyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,239 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,952 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,666 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$7.00 ¥1,137

15.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$35.00 ¥5,687

39.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.44 ¥884

0.74%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.09 ¥502

16.50%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.11 ¥180

14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.80 ¥130

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.55 ¥414

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.17 ¥514

71.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.53 ¥248

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.52 ¥247

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.69 ¥762

13.86%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.21 ¥359

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.90 ¥1,609

61.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.54 ¥1,063

24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.32 ¥2,490

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.41 ¥879

2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.63 ¥428

-1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.07 ¥661

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$6.04 ¥981

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.16 ¥514

2.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.58 ¥419

31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.38 ¥224

5.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.88 ¥142

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.08 ¥663

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$8.57 ¥1,392

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.82 ¥296

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.19 ¥356

31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.61 ¥261

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$56.0 ¥9,099

51.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.52 ¥572

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.00 ¥488

-3.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.64 ¥3,353

27.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.42%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-0.45%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$141 ¥22.9K

19.19%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.78 ¥4,351

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$34.23 ¥5,561

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$54.8 ¥8,896

29.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.63 ¥2,215

48.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.61 ¥2,048

3.65%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$283 ¥45.9K

75.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

17.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.18 ¥7,016

42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.37 ¥4,772

41.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$60.7 ¥9,860

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$90.7 ¥14.7K

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$398 ¥64.7K

181.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$324 ¥52.7K

87.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$878 ¥142.7K

205.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$652 ¥106.0K

105.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,812 ¥781.8K

115.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,180 ¥354.2K

128.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $398 in Matsuyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $317 – making Matsuyama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,239 in Matsuyama – roughly 37% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,859 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $495 per month in Tokyo and $283 in Matsuyama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,239 in Matsuyama to $1,701 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Matsuyama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.