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: $1,733 in Tokyo versus $1,185 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,746 in Tokyo versus $1,905 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,760 in Tokyo versus $2,625 in Nagasaki.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 46% more expensive than in Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 30% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ¥1,273

$5.61 ¥884

44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 ¥7,656

$20.62 ¥3,250

135.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥855

$5.72 ¥901

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$3.10 ¥488

17.10%

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

$1.20 ¥189

$1.09 ¥171

10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.80 ¥125

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ¥637

$2.50 ¥393

61.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ¥867

$2.39 ¥377

130.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.59 ¥250

2.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥250

$1.28 ¥201

23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 ¥845

$4.14 ¥652

29.47%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥371

$2.28 ¥359

3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,482

$10.20 ¥1,608

54.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ¥1,233

$3.54 ¥557

121.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 ¥3,639

$20.71 ¥3,263

11.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 ¥838

$3.06 ¥482

73.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥415

$1.35 ¥213

94.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 ¥936

$1.42 ¥224

318.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥929

$5.92 ¥932

-0.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$2.84 ¥447

18.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$3.17 ¥499

5.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ¥225

$0.98 ¥154

44.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.57 ¥89.5

56.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥673

$3.84 ¥605

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,471

$6.25 ¥984

49.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$1.99 ¥313

5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥466

$2.13 ¥336

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥222

$0.93 ¥146

51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 ¥12.9K

$113 ¥17.8K

-27.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥559

$4.10 ¥646

-13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥451

$2.91 ¥458

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 ¥4,193

$19.65 ¥3,097

35.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.15 ¥181

3.48%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$23.2K ¥3.6M

0.54%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$20.4K ¥3.2M

-13.92%

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

$167 ¥26.3K

$215 ¥33.9K

-22.43%

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

$26.04 ¥4,103

$27.15 ¥4,278

-4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 ¥5,177

$35.72 ¥5,629

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ¥11.1K

$55.6 ¥8,759

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 ¥3,274

$13.80 ¥2,175

50.58%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 ¥2,069

$14.13 ¥2,227

-7.08%

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

$501 ¥78.9K

$259 ¥40.9K

93.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

16.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ¥9,521

$43.40 ¥6,839

39.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 ¥6,379

$29.96 ¥4,720

35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$66.6 ¥10.5K

-2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.3K

$60.1 ¥9,463

50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 ¥175.2K

$309 ¥48.7K

259.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥93.6K

$208 ¥32.7K

185.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ¥410.8K

$857 ¥135.1K

204.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ¥206.3K

$659 ¥103.8K

98.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$4,346 ¥684.8K

140.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,871 ¥767.4K

$2,051 ¥323.2K

137.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,112 in Tokyo and $309 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 $383 vs $276 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,599 in Tokyo and $1,778 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: $1,112 in Tokyo versus $309 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 $1,185 in Nagasaki versus $1,733 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 46% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.