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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,374 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $2,181 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,989 in Nagoya.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 23% more expensive than Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 26% above, Nagoya 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.80 ¥1,087

18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.16 ¥5,624

37.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.46 ¥873

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.99 ¥479

19.40%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.20 ¥192

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.77 ¥123

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.13 ¥341

99.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.17 ¥507

67.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.61 ¥257

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.73 ¥277

-8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.83 ¥773

10.14%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.22 ¥356

8.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.07 ¥1,611

59.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.37 ¥1,019

23.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.56 ¥2,489

48.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$8.85 ¥1,415

-40.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.91 ¥465

-11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.93 ¥629

45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.88 ¥941

1.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.96 ¥634

-18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.68 ¥428

30.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.32 ¥212

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.38 ¥221

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.51 ¥561

21.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.47 ¥1,514

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.77 ¥283

21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.03 ¥324

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥258

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$69.4 ¥11.1K

22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.43 ¥548

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.98 ¥477

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$17.46 ¥2,793

53.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.59%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

4.65%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$142 ¥22.7K

15.30%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.96 ¥4,312

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.51 ¥5,360

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.1 ¥8,968

22.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$18.37 ¥2,938

9.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.55 ¥2,008

4.06%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$477 ¥76.3K

6.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$11.4K ¥1.8M

36.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$45.40 ¥7,261

32.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.99 ¥4,797

34.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$56.7 ¥9,065

14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$93.3 ¥14.9K

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$602 ¥96.2K

81.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$418 ¥66.9K

42.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$1,325 ¥211.9K

96.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$850 ¥136.0K

57.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$2,486 ¥397.7K

334.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,134 ¥181.5K

338.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,905 ¥304.7K

31.31%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $602 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 31% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $348 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tokyo pays 31% more on average, 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $602 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 22% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $477 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,374 in Nagoya versus $1,684 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 23% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.