Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagoya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nagoya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,356 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $2,135 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,915 in Nagoya.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 27% above, Nagoya 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$7.08 ¥1,151

14.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.77 ¥5,649

40.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.65 ¥919

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.13 ¥508

15.02%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.17 ¥190

8.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.75 ¥121

14.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.04 ¥331

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.10 ¥504

75.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.67 ¥271

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.78 ¥289

-15.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$5.00 ¥812

6.80%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.22 ¥360

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.01 ¥1,626

59.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.46 ¥1,049

25.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.54 ¥2,525

45.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$9.19 ¥1,493

-39.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.89 ¥470

-10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.00 ¥650

48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$6.17 ¥1,002

-1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$4.01 ¥651

-19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.59 ¥420

30.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.34 ¥217

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.45 ¥236

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.49 ¥567

21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.04 ¥1,469

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.82 ¥296

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.07 ¥336

38.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.64 ¥267

-9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$70.2 ¥11.4K

20.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.46 ¥562

-2.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.92 ¥475

-0.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$17.28 ¥2,808

51.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.18 ¥191

1.69%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

1.27%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

2.68%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$139 ¥22.6K

20.58%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.68 ¥4,336

-3.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$34.02 ¥5,527

-1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.8 ¥9,070

27.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$18.73 ¥3,043

8.12%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.54 ¥2,037

4.23%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$478 ¥77.7K

3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$11.4K ¥1.9M

37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$46.69 ¥7,586

31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.25 ¥4,753

42.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$57.0 ¥9,263

15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$91.3 ¥14.8K

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$587 ¥95.4K

90.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$404 ¥65.6K

50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$1,352 ¥219.7K

98.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$854 ¥138.8K

57.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,452 ¥398.4K

322.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,098 ¥178.3K

354.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,842 ¥299.3K

26.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $587 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $354 per month, with Nagoya 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 Nagoya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Tokyo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $587 in Nagoya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 21% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $478 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,356 in Nagoya versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagoya 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 Nagoya 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 Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.