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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,172 in Nagano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,938 in Nagano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,704 in Nagano, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 45% more than Nagano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Nagano is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.78 ¥1,101

19.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.31 ¥5,575

42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$4.06 ¥660

34.98%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.56 ¥579

1.12%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.14 ¥185

11.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.64 ¥104

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.04 ¥332

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.09 ¥340

160.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.26 ¥205

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.27 ¥207

18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.74 ¥771

12.66%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.58 ¥257

46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$12.22 ¥1,986

30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$12.22 ¥1,986

-33.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$16.77 ¥2,724

34.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$7.83 ¥1,273

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.54 ¥412

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.62 ¥750

28.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.64 ¥754

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.62 ¥588

-10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.59 ¥584

-5.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.03 ¥167

40.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.72 ¥117

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$5.46 ¥887

-22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.13 ¥1,484

1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.50 ¥407

-18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.50 ¥568

-18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.44 ¥234

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.2 ¥8,961

53.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.04 ¥493

11.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.03 ¥492

-3.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.20 ¥3,444

23.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.20 ¥194

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$24.3K ¥3.9M

-3.05%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-0.89%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$84.1 ¥13.7K

99.31%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$29.98 ¥4,872

-13.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$17.64 ¥2,866

89.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$54.5 ¥8,858

30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.83 ¥2,248

46.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$11.35 ¥1,845

15.15%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$279 ¥45.3K

77.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

15.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$44.59 ¥7,245

38.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.09 ¥4,726

43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$58.9 ¥9,576

11.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$95.3 ¥15.5K

-4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$481 ¥78.2K

132.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$279 ¥45.3K

117.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$853 ¥138.6K

214.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$661 ¥107.5K

102.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$621 ¥101.0K

274.84%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nagano: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $481 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 275% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Nagano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $363 – 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 45% 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,759 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 $49.00 in Tokyo and $34.00 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 $1,701 in Tokyo and $1,172 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 $1,172, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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 $1,172 versus $1,701 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.