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: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,343 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $2,108 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,874 in Nagoya.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Nagoya is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$8.63 ¥1,349

-15.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$30.67 ¥4,791

21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.88 ¥762

2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.42 ¥377

50.83%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.24 ¥194

36.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.88 ¥137

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$3.05 ¥476

19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.07 ¥479

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.49 ¥233

4.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.48 ¥231

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$4.06 ¥634

45.81%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.15 ¥337

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$15.87 ¥2,479

-28.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$7.03 ¥1,098

9.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$16.76 ¥2,619

19.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$8.35 ¥1,305

-37.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.95 ¥461

-14.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$5.06 ¥790

-8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$7.88 ¥1,231

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$3.93 ¥613

-9.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$4.54 ¥710

-24.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.15 ¥180

6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.93 ¥145

-7.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.79 ¥591

4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$9.38 ¥1,465

1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$2.56 ¥399

-30.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.06 ¥321

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.51 ¥236

-18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$92.1 ¥14.4K

-26.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.09 ¥483

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.90 ¥452

4.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$15.63 ¥2,441

16.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.06 ¥165

-1.89%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.1K ¥3.3M

2.96%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

-1.48%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$115 ¥18.0K

36.06%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$22.80 ¥3,561

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$31.11 ¥4,861

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$50.1 ¥7,827

24.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

$13.52 ¥2,113

87.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.39 ¥1,780

7.99%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$576 ¥90.0K

125.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$49.73 ¥7,769

2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$36.03 ¥5,629

-10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$59.7 ¥9,330

4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$95.5 ¥14.9K

-21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$527 ¥82.3K

133.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$346 ¥54.1K

90.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,215 ¥189.8K

94.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$734 ¥114.7K

84.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$2,000 ¥312.5K

337.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,033 ¥161.4K

281.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,929 ¥301.3K

47.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

1.66

16.27%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $527 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 47% 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: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $31.00 in Nagoya. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $379, with Tokyo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $527 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 36% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $576 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,343 in Nagoya versus $1,653 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.