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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,250 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,953 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,656 in Morioka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 35% more than Morioka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Morioka is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,297

$7.12 ¥1,142

13.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,743

$34.20 ¥5,482

41.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥912

$5.51 ¥883

3.27%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥572

$3.05 ¥489

17.05%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.07 ¥171

17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.74 ¥119

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥682

$2.55 ¥409

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥850

$3.05 ¥488

73.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.60 ¥257

-1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.53 ¥245

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥853

$4.84 ¥775

9.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.31 ¥370

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,571

$9.97 ¥1,599

60.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,258

$6.43 ¥1,031

22.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,712

$15.43 ¥2,474

50.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥838

$5.52 ¥885

-5.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.51 ¥403

2.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥919

$4.01 ¥642

42.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥957

$5.93 ¥951

0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥515

$3.14 ¥503

2.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥563

$2.54 ¥408

38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.82 ¥132

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥685

$4.21 ¥676

1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,505

$8.72 ¥1,397

7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥344

$1.85 ¥296

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥462

$2.16 ¥346

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥256

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.0 ¥8,811

54.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥560

$3.39 ¥543

2.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥459

$3.02 ¥484

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,291

$20.42 ¥3,273

31.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ¥198

-1.61%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

1.87%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

-0.88%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$143 ¥22.9K

14.46%

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

$26.63 ¥4,268

$26.96 ¥4,321

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,440

$33.48 ¥5,367

1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.1K

$56.9 ¥9,116

21.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,224

$14.06 ¥2,253

43.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,093

$12.39 ¥1,986

5.41%

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

$506 ¥81.1K

$286 ¥45.9K

76.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,632

$42.69 ¥6,842

40.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,462

$29.36 ¥4,707

37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.4K

$60.6 ¥9,715

6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$92.1 ¥14.8K

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.3K

$475 ¥76.1K

130.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.6K

$334 ¥53.5K

78.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥418.3K

$872 ¥139.7K

199.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.6K

$668 ¥107.1K

100.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$5,253 ¥842.1K

105.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥797.3K

$2,121 ¥339.9K

134.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.9K

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 Morioka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $475 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $318 – 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: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,250 in Morioka – roughly 35% 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 $1,875 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 20% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo and $34.00 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 $1,250, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,250 in Morioka 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 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.