Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Narita Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Narita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,714 in Tokyo versus $1,237 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Tokyo versus $1,921 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,765 in Tokyo versus $2,604 in Narita.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 39% more expensive than Narita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 28% above, Narita is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,354

$5.43 ¥869

55.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.34 ¥7,892

$41.86 ¥6,694

17.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$4.89 ¥783

15.95%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥576

$3.10 ¥495

16.13%

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

$1.25 ¥200

$0.81 ¥129

54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥139

$0.76 ¥122

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥681

$2.04 ¥326

108.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 ¥843

$3.07 ¥491

71.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥261

$1.24 ¥198

31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥244

$0.93 ¥149

63.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 ¥889

$4.94 ¥791

12.55%

Eggs

$2.34 ¥374

$2.18 ¥349

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥2,541

$10.24 ¥1,637

55.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ¥1,244

$6.20 ¥992

25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.52 ¥3,602

$15.20 ¥2,431

48.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥855

$5.98 ¥956

-10.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ¥424

$3.21 ¥514

-17.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ¥935

$4.00 ¥640

46.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 ¥967

$6.01 ¥961

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥517

$3.35 ¥536

-3.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 ¥534

$4.29 ¥687

-22.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ¥239

$1.33 ¥212

12.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥148

$0.83 ¥132

10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥672

$3.30 ¥527

27.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$9.34 ¥1,494

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.76 ¥281

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥474

$2.02 ¥323

46.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥225

$1.62 ¥258

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 ¥13.1K

$56.1 ¥8,966

46.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$3.38 ¥541

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥481

$1.61 ¥258

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.66 ¥4,264

$21.98 ¥3,516

21.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.11 ¥178

12.61%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$20.5K ¥3.3M

12.27%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-6.56%

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

$167 ¥26.7K

$145 ¥23.2K

15.21%

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

$26.17 ¥4,186

$27.90 ¥4,462

-6.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.97 ¥5,434

$31.00 ¥4,958

9.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ¥11.1K

$56.8 ¥9,082

21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 ¥3,215

$13.80 ¥2,207

45.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 ¥2,094

$12.59 ¥2,014

3.97%

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

$512 ¥81.8K

$286 ¥45.8K

78.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

14.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ¥9,846

$41.20 ¥6,590

49.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ¥6,470

$29.35 ¥4,695

37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$59.0 ¥9,431

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.5K

$113 ¥18.1K

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥178.8K

$502 ¥80.3K

122.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥94.9K

$341 ¥54.5K

74.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,691 ¥430.4K

$880 ¥140.7K

205.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 ¥213.5K

$670 ¥107.1K

99.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K ¥1.7M

$4,028 ¥644.2K

166.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,981 ¥796.6K

$2,454 ¥392.4K

102.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 ¥398.3K

$1,264 ¥202.2K

96.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.05

-16.10%

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

Last update for Tokyo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Narita: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,118 in Tokyo and $502 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 97% 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 $42.00 in Narita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $318 per month, with Narita 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 Narita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tokyo pays 97% 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: $1,118 in Tokyo versus $502 in Narita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 46% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $512 in Tokyo versus $286 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Narita versus $1,714 in Tokyo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Narita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Narita 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 Narita 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 Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.