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: $1,733 in Tokyo versus $1,268 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,746 in Tokyo versus $1,951 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,760 in Tokyo versus $2,635 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 30% above, Narita is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ¥1,273

$5.65 ¥891

43.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 ¥7,656

$41.07 ¥6,471

18.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥855

$4.95 ¥781

9.49%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$3.19 ¥503

13.79%

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

$1.20 ¥189

$0.80 ¥127

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.76 ¥120

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ¥637

$2.14 ¥337

88.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ¥867

$3.05 ¥480

80.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.23 ¥194

32.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥250

$0.88 ¥139

79.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 ¥845

$5.04 ¥794

6.35%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥371

$2.29 ¥360

2.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,482

$10.27 ¥1,618

53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ¥1,233

$6.19 ¥975

26.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 ¥3,639

$15.22 ¥2,399

51.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 ¥838

$6.05 ¥953

-12.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥415

$3.13 ¥493

-15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 ¥936

$3.91 ¥616

51.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥929

$6.13 ¥965

-3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$3.34 ¥526

0.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$4.19 ¥661

-19.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ¥225

$1.37 ¥217

3.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.88 ¥139

1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥673

$3.23 ¥509

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,471

$9.02 ¥1,421

3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$1.84 ¥290

14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥466

$2.11 ¥332

40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥222

$1.66 ¥262

-15.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 ¥12.9K

$55.6 ¥8,762

46.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥559

$3.45 ¥544

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥451

$1.61 ¥254

77.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 ¥4,193

$22.48 ¥3,542

18.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.12 ¥176

6.25%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$20.6K ¥3.2M

13.12%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-4.40%

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

$167 ¥26.3K

$144 ¥22.8K

15.37%

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

$26.04 ¥4,103

$27.91 ¥4,397

-6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 ¥5,177

$31.60 ¥4,980

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ¥11.1K

$55.6 ¥8,764

26.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 ¥3,274

$14.09 ¥2,220

47.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 ¥2,069

$12.42 ¥1,956

5.72%

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

$501 ¥78.9K

$287 ¥45.2K

74.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

10.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ¥9,521

$42.25 ¥6,658

43.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 ¥6,379

$29.56 ¥4,658

36.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$61.2 ¥9,639

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.3K

$112 ¥17.6K

-18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 ¥175.2K

$503 ¥79.3K

120.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥93.6K

$351 ¥55.4K

69.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ¥410.8K

$875 ¥137.8K

198.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ¥206.3K

$672 ¥105.9K

94.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$4,599 ¥724.6K

127.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,871 ¥767.4K

$2,326 ¥366.5K

109.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

$1,218 ¥191.9K

92.63%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Narita: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,112 in Tokyo and $503 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 93% 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 $41.00 in Narita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $319 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 93% 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: $1,112 in Tokyo versus $503 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 47% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $501 in Tokyo versus $287 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,268 in Narita versus $1,733 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.