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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,234 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,929 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,624 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 36% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.02 ¥1,123

15.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.07 ¥5,450

41.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.45 ¥872

4.40%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.20 ¥513

11.56%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.11 ¥177

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.75 ¥120

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.55 ¥407

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.08 ¥493

72.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.53 ¥245

3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.52 ¥243

4.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.85 ¥776

9.69%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.29 ¥366

5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.04 ¥1,605

59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.47 ¥1,035

21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.17 ¥2,427

52.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.43 ¥869

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.65 ¥424

-3.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.10 ¥655

39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.00 ¥960

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.00 ¥480

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.55 ¥409

37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.37 ¥220

8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.84 ¥134

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.11 ¥658

3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.09 ¥1,454

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.93 ¥309

11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.16 ¥346

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.59 ¥255

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.8 ¥8,760

54.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.51 ¥561

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.97 ¥475

-3.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.00 ¥3,359

27.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.20 ¥191

1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.44%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.82%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$141 ¥22.6K

15.70%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.90 ¥4,302

-1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.70 ¥5,389

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.6 ¥8,894

24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.00 ¥2,240

43.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.53 ¥2,005

4.23%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$280 ¥44.8K

80.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

16.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.87 ¥6,858

40.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.59 ¥4,732

36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.7 ¥9,705

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$409 ¥65.4K

167.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$325 ¥51.9K

83.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$857 ¥137.1K

204.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$649 ¥103.9K

106.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,142 ¥662.5K

160.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,687 ¥429.8K

85.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $409 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $318 – 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: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,234 in Matsuyama – roughly 36% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,851 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 55% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $280 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 $1,234, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,234 in Matsuyama to $1,684 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.