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: $1,665 in Tokyo versus $1,213 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Tokyo versus $1,972 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Tokyo versus $2,731 in Narita.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,184

$5.78 ¥902

31.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,091

$41.79 ¥6,526

-6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥802

$4.47 ¥699

14.77%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥587

$3.15 ¥492

19.37%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$0.81 ¥127

106.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.74 ¥116

20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥626

$2.05 ¥320

95.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥828

$3.17 ¥495

67.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.27 ¥199

21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.76 ¥275

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥914

$3.64 ¥569

60.71%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$2.04 ¥319

10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,669

$12.07 ¥1,885

-11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,191

$6.11 ¥954

24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,969

$14.57 ¥2,275

30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥772

$5.89 ¥920

-16.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$2.78 ¥434

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$2.91 ¥454

49.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥860

$4.18 ¥653

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥527

$2.71 ¥424

24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥497

$2.73 ¥426

16.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.28 ¥199

-7.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.83 ¥129

3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥622

$3.80 ¥593

4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,549

$6.29 ¥982

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥277

$1.79 ¥280

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥444

$2.12 ¥331

33.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$1.50 ¥234

-15.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$59.0 ¥9,220

22.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.18 ¥497

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥514

$1.64 ¥257

100.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,991

$21.25 ¥3,318

-9.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.07 ¥167

1.87%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.3K ¥3.5M

-0.31%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-15.46%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$133 ¥20.7K

18.70%

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

$22.59 ¥3,529

$25.26 ¥3,945

-10.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,875

$29.67 ¥4,634

5.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$53.5 ¥8,359

21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,037

$11.53 ¥1,801

13.10%

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

$1,395 ¥217.8K

$646 ¥100.9K

115.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

24.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,454

$62.9 ¥9,820

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,272

$33.28 ¥5,197

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$63.1 ¥9,848

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$103 ¥16.1K

-29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.7K

$520 ¥81.2K

145.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.8K

$342 ¥53.4K

101.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.5K

$1,088 ¥170.0K

128.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.0K

$855 ¥133.6K

66.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,393 ¥529.8K

171.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥701.4K

$2,030 ¥317.1K

121.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥476.2K

$1,296 ¥202.4K

135.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

2.12

-8.49%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Narita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,279 in Tokyo and $520 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 135% 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: $39.00 in Tokyo vs $42.00 in Narita. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $297, with Narita 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 Narita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 135% 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: $1,279 in Tokyo versus $520 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 23% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,395 in Tokyo versus $646 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,213 in Narita versus $1,665 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 37% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.