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: $1,714 in Tokyo versus $1,212 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Tokyo versus $1,912 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,765 in Tokyo versus $2,611 in Nagasaki.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 41% more expensive than Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 28% above, Nagasaki is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,354

$5.46 ¥874

55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.34 ¥7,892

$21.08 ¥3,372

134.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$5.56 ¥890

1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥576

$3.03 ¥485

18.81%

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

$1.25 ¥200

$1.04 ¥166

20.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.74 ¥119

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥681

$2.50 ¥400

70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥843

$2.39 ¥382

120.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥261

$1.55 ¥248

5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.23 ¥197

23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 ¥889

$4.05 ¥648

37.28%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥374

$2.22 ¥355

5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥2,541

$10.48 ¥1,677

51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ¥1,244

$3.48 ¥557

123.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.52 ¥3,602

$20.73 ¥3,315

8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥855

$3.06 ¥489

74.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$1.43 ¥228

85.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ¥935

$1.35 ¥216

332.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ¥967

$5.94 ¥950

1.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥517

$2.82 ¥450

14.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥534

$3.27 ¥523

2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ¥239

$0.92 ¥147

61.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.53 ¥84.6

73.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥672

$3.86 ¥617

8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$6.19 ¥990

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.92 ¥307

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥474

$2.06 ¥330

43.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥225

$1.01 ¥162

39.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 ¥13.1K

$115 ¥18.3K

-28.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$4.02 ¥644

-12.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥481

$2.96 ¥473

1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.66 ¥4,264

$19.97 ¥3,193

33.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.20 ¥192

4.17%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.08%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-15.08%

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

$167 ¥26.7K

$219 ¥35.1K

-23.74%

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

$26.17 ¥4,186

$27.32 ¥4,370

-4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 ¥5,434

$36.23 ¥5,794

-6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ¥11.1K

$55.3 ¥8,843

25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 ¥3,215

$14.05 ¥2,247

43.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 ¥2,094

$13.79 ¥2,206

-5.08%

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

$512 ¥81.8K

$260 ¥41.6K

96.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ¥9,846

$44.07 ¥7,049

39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ¥6,470

$29.14 ¥4,660

38.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.5K

$60.6 ¥9,685

49.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥178.8K

$316 ¥50.5K

253.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥94.9K

$205 ¥32.7K

189.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 ¥430.4K

$852 ¥136.3K

215.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ¥213.5K

$668 ¥106.8K

99.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K ¥1.7M

$4,621 ¥739.1K

132.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ¥796.6K

$2,324 ¥371.7K

114.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 ¥398.3K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,118 in Tokyo and $316 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $274 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,571 in Tokyo and $1,818 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: $1,118 in Tokyo versus $316 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,212 in Nagasaki versus $1,714 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 41% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.