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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,176 in Nagano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,896 in Nagano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,616 in Nagano, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Nagano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Nagano is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.76 ¥1,082

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.32 ¥5,650

36.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.09 ¥655

39.12%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.51 ¥562

1.71%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.09 ¥174

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.64 ¥102

45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.10 ¥336

102.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.06 ¥330

157.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.25 ¥200

26.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.22 ¥194

30.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.67 ¥748

13.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.52 ¥243

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$12.24 ¥1,957

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$12.25 ¥1,959

-35.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$16.89 ¥2,702

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$7.52 ¥1,202

-30.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.55 ¥729

25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.44 ¥710

34.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.73 ¥597

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.60 ¥575

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.07 ¥171

38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.66 ¥106

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$5.58 ¥892

-23.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.13 ¥1,460

2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.50 ¥399

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.56 ¥570

-19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.49 ¥238

-0.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.0 ¥8,960

51.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.14 ¥502

11.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.00 ¥480

-4.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$20.41 ¥3,265

31.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.16 ¥185

5.17%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.8K ¥3.8M

-1.46%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

0.35%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$82.9 ¥13.3K

97.36%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$29.54 ¥4,724

-9.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$17.05 ¥2,728

99.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.0 ¥8,949

23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.08 ¥2,253

42.83%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.51 ¥1,841

13.47%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$281 ¥45.0K

79.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$44.14 ¥7,060

36.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.58 ¥4,731

36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.2 ¥9,630

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$96.0 ¥15.3K

-4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$483 ¥77.2K

126.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$275 ¥43.9K

117.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$854 ¥136.6K

205.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$665 ¥106.4K

101.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$633 ¥101.3K

294.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Nagano: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $483 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 295% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Nagano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $360 – making Nagano 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 Nagano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,764 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 $48.00 in Tokyo and $35.00 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 $1,684 in Tokyo and $1,176 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 $1,176, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,176 versus $1,684 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.