Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Morioka Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Morioka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,225 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,929 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,633 in Morioka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 39% more than Morioka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Morioka is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$7.04 ¥1,144

14.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.74 ¥5,644

40.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.35 ¥869

2.43%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.08 ¥500

16.88%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.06 ¥173

19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.81 ¥132

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.67 ¥434

52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.20 ¥519

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.52 ¥246

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.60 ¥260

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.80 ¥780

11.25%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.20 ¥358

5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.26 ¥1,668

55.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.50 ¥1,056

24.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.62 ¥2,539

44.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.45 ¥886

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.54 ¥413

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.09 ¥664

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.83 ¥947

4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.14 ¥510

3.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.57 ¥418

31.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.40 ¥227

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.88 ¥143

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.24 ¥690

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.61 ¥1,237

22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.91 ¥310

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.27 ¥368

26.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.60 ¥260

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.9 ¥9,089

51.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.44 ¥559

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.92 ¥475

-0.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.15 ¥3,437

24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.73%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

-1.72%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$143 ¥23.2K

17.55%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.37 ¥4,447

-5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.59 ¥5,457

-0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.8 ¥9,063

27.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.93 ¥2,264

45.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.54 ¥2,037

4.23%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$286 ¥46.5K

72.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.77 ¥7,111

40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$30.01 ¥4,875

38.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$60.8 ¥9,879

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$91.5 ¥14.9K

-0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$460 ¥74.7K

143.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$334 ¥54.2K

81.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$851 ¥138.3K

214.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$669 ¥108.7K

100.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,706 ¥764.6K

120.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,114 ¥343.4K

135.90%

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 Morioka: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $460 in Morioka. 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 Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $317 – making Morioka 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 Morioka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,225 in Morioka – roughly 39% 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 $1,837 in Morioka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 21% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo and $35.00 in Morioka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,225, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Morioka 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 $1,225 in Morioka 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 Morioka. 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.