Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,669 in Tokyo versus $1,178 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Tokyo versus $1,884 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,676 in Tokyo versus $2,590 in Nagasaki.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 42% more expensive than Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 25% above, Nagasaki is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 ¥1,368

$5.50 ¥880

55.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.36 ¥7,741

$20.61 ¥3,298

134.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥866

$5.67 ¥907

-4.59%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ¥574

$3.16 ¥506

13.61%

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

$1.22 ¥195

$1.08 ¥172

12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥140

$0.76 ¥122

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.27 ¥684

$2.46 ¥393

73.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 ¥838

$2.39 ¥383

119.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.27 ¥203

18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 ¥861

$4.20 ¥673

28.10%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥375

$2.20 ¥351

6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.22 ¥2,596

$10.27 ¥1,644

57.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 ¥1,312

$3.46 ¥554

136.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.60 ¥3,617

$20.52 ¥3,284

10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 ¥855

$3.20 ¥513

66.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ¥427

$1.38 ¥221

93.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 ¥953

$1.43 ¥229

316.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥951

$5.95 ¥952

-0.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ¥536

$2.70 ¥432

24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥535

$3.28 ¥524

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ¥229

$0.92 ¥148

55.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.53 ¥84.4

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ¥663

$3.81 ¥609

8.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,485

$6.13 ¥981

51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.01 ¥322

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ¥482

$2.04 ¥327

47.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$0.94 ¥151

57.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 ¥13.5K

$114 ¥18.2K

-26.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ¥571

$4.17 ¥667

-14.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.91 ¥465

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.08 ¥4,174

$19.21 ¥3,076

35.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥194

$1.20 ¥192

0.83%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-1.79%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$20.0K ¥3.2M

-14.93%

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

$165 ¥26.4K

$217 ¥34.8K

-24.03%

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

$26.70 ¥4,274

$26.86 ¥4,300

-0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.60 ¥5,379

$36.27 ¥5,807

-7.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 ¥11.0K

$56.4 ¥9,035

21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 ¥3,320

$14.06 ¥2,251

47.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 ¥2,132

$13.61 ¥2,179

-2.13%

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

$496 ¥79.5K

$265 ¥42.4K

87.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

12.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ¥9,950

$43.77 ¥7,006

42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.12 ¥6,583

$30.05 ¥4,811

36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 ¥10.6K

$65.4 ¥10.5K

1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.6K

$59.7 ¥9,553

52.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 ¥178.4K

$313 ¥50.1K

256.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ¥98.0K

$206 ¥32.9K

197.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,673 ¥427.9K

$881 ¥141.0K

203.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 ¥211.6K

$654 ¥104.6K

102.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$4,531 ¥725.3K

236.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,112 ¥978.3K

$1,615 ¥258.6K

278.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,680 ¥429.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Tokyo and $313 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $275 per month, with Nagasaki cheaper across the board.

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 Nagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,504 in Tokyo and $1,766 in Nagasaki to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Tokyo versus $313 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $48.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,178 in Nagasaki versus $1,669 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagasaki is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tokyo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Nagasaki are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.