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: $1,665 in Tokyo versus $1,218 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Tokyo versus $1,844 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Tokyo versus $2,470 in Nagasaki.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 37% more expensive than in Nagasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 22% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,183

$5.21 ¥813

45.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,085

$19.09 ¥2,979

104.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥801

$5.08 ¥792

0.98%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥586

$3.41 ¥532

10.26%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$1.02 ¥159

63.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.65 ¥101

36.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥625

$2.23 ¥347

79.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥827

$2.33 ¥363

127.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.57 ¥245

-1.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.97 ¥307

-18.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥913

$6.30 ¥982

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$2.15 ¥335

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,667

$9.77 ¥1,524

9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,190

$3.21 ¥501

137.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,966

$19.61 ¥3,059

-3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥771

$3.70 ¥577

33.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥369

$1.84 ¥286

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥677

$3.00 ¥467

44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥859

$3.34 ¥522

64.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥526

$2.30 ¥358

46.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥496

$2.56 ¥399

24.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.11 ¥173

7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$1.01 ¥158

-14.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥621

$4.05 ¥633

-1.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,548

$6.36 ¥993

55.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥276

$1.78 ¥277

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥443

$1.94 ¥303

46.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$1.35 ¥210

-5.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$58.5 ¥9,125

23.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥499

$3.96 ¥618

-19.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥513

$2.09 ¥326

57.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,988

$18.67 ¥2,912

2.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.13 ¥176

-3.54%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-0.83%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-13.07%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$195 ¥30.4K

-19.21%

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

$22.59 ¥3,525

$25.63 ¥3,999

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,870

$34.84 ¥5,437

-10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$48.26 ¥7,531

34.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,055

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,035

$11.25 ¥1,756

15.91%

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

$1,395 ¥217.6K

$130 ¥20.3K

973.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$12.4K ¥1.9M

48.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,446

$38.36 ¥5,986

41.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,267

$24.70 ¥3,854

36.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$61.0 ¥9,522

6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$48.40 ¥7,552

50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.5K

$506 ¥78.9K

152.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.7K

$312 ¥48.7K

120.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.2K

$1,033 ¥161.1K

140.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥221.8K

$776 ¥121.1K

83.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,749 ¥584.9K

145.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥700.8K

$1,816 ¥283.4K

147.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥475.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.85

4.86%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,279 in Tokyo and $506 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tokyo vs $19.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $286 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,498 in Tokyo and $1,827 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: $1,279 in Tokyo versus $506 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $19.00 versus $39.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,665 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 37% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.