Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagano Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,199 in Nagano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,906 in Nagano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,614 in Nagano, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Nagano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Nagano is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.16 ¥962

18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$43.16 ¥6,742

-14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$5.08 ¥794

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.49 ¥546

4.58%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.04 ¥162

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.77 ¥121

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.44 ¥381

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.20 ¥500

58.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.42 ¥222

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.71 ¥267

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$3.68 ¥574

60.87%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.05 ¥319

8.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$11.57 ¥1,808

-1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$5.91 ¥923

29.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$14.01 ¥2,189

43.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.47 ¥854

-5.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.80 ¥438

-10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.80 ¥437

65.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.27 ¥668

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.48 ¥388

42.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.56 ¥399

34.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.75 ¥117

14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.69 ¥577

7.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$6.41 ¥1,001

48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.72 ¥269

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$1.99 ¥311

52.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.33 ¥208

-7.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$47.96 ¥7,492

41.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.11 ¥486

1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.52 ¥394

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$20.73 ¥3,239

-12.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.10 ¥171

-5.45%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

4.10%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-19.77%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$128 ¥20.0K

22.36%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$23.65 ¥3,694

-6.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$12.62 ¥1,972

139.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$51.2 ¥8,000

22.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$12.43 ¥1,942

-1.05%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$634 ¥99.0K

105.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.3K ¥2.2M

23.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$61.7 ¥9,635

-16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$31.70 ¥4,951

2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$61.3 ¥9,573

2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$102 ¥15.9K

-26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$454 ¥71.0K

170.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$356 ¥55.7K

85.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,092 ¥170.5K

116.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$720 ¥112.5K

88.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,178 ¥652.6K

109.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,778 ¥277.7K

121.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$616 ¥96.2K

361.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.12

-8.96%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nagano: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $454 in Nagano. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 362% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo versus $43.00 in Nagano. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Tokyo vs $289 in Nagano – so Nagano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nagano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,798 in Nagano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo and $43.00 in Nagano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,653 in Tokyo and $1,199 in Nagano. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nagano costs $1,199 versus $1,653 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nagano. 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.