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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,209 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,887 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,565 in Morioka, rent included.

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

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Morioka is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.27 ¥980

16.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$31.59 ¥4,934

17.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.98 ¥778

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.03 ¥473

20.46%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.09 ¥170

55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.79 ¥123

16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.54 ¥397

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.07 ¥480

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.43 ¥223

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.52 ¥237

13.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$4.16 ¥650

42.31%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$1.99 ¥310

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$12.54 ¥1,959

-9.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$6.32 ¥988

21.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$15.32 ¥2,393

31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.23 ¥817

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.31 ¥360

8.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.93 ¥458

58.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$3.88 ¥606

52.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.51 ¥393

41.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.08 ¥324

65.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.41 ¥220

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.78 ¥122

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.55 ¥555

11.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$7.64 ¥1,194

24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.76 ¥276

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.10 ¥328

44.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.49 ¥233

-17.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$55.7 ¥8,697

21.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.09 ¥482

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.88 ¥451

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$18.94 ¥2,959

-4.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.10 ¥172

-5.45%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$18.7K ¥2.9M

15.91%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-2.32%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$131 ¥20.5K

19.56%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.26 ¥3,790

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.31 ¥4,735

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$44.94 ¥7,021

39.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$12.38 ¥1,934

-0.65%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$481 ¥75.1K

170.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$13.6K ¥2.1M

29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$49.41 ¥7,718

3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$34.52 ¥5,392

-6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$67.9 ¥10.6K

-7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$85.0 ¥13.3K

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$460 ¥71.8K

167.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$331 ¥51.7K

99.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,221 ¥190.8K

93.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$726 ¥113.4K

87.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,627 ¥722.8K

89.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,917 ¥299.5K

105.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.06

-6.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Morioka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 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 $37.00 in Tokyo versus $32.00 in Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $295 – 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: $1,653 in Tokyo, $1,209 in Morioka – roughly 37% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,814 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 $37.00 in Tokyo and $32.00 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 $1,209, than in Tokyo at $1,653. 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 $1,209 in Morioka to $1,653 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.