Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nishinomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Nishinomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,237 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,938 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,640 in Nishinomiya, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 34% more than Nishinomiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Nishinomiya is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$8.54 ¥1,333

-14.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$31.27 ¥4,885

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.90 ¥766

1.63%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.42 ¥377

50.83%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.22 ¥191

38.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.72 ¥113

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.71 ¥424

34.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.10 ¥485

63.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.48 ¥231

4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.51 ¥236

13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$5.19 ¥810

14.07%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.11 ¥330

5.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$9.40 ¥1,469

20.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$9.50 ¥1,484

-19.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$18.29 ¥2,858

9.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$4.90 ¥765

5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$1.91 ¥298

31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$3.07 ¥480

51.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$6.23 ¥973

-5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$1.54 ¥241

129.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.43 ¥380

41.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.26 ¥197

-3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.83 ¥130

3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.87 ¥604

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$9.66 ¥1,509

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$2.36 ¥368

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.13 ¥333

42.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.49 ¥232

-17.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$48.37 ¥7,556

39.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.08 ¥482

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.88 ¥450

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$15.79 ¥2,467

14.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.10 ¥172

-5.45%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

0.50%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$15.0K ¥2.4M

-2.15%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$117 ¥18.2K

34.41%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$23.45 ¥3,663

-5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.12 ¥4,705

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$63.4 ¥9,905

-1.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.48 ¥1,794

7.14%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$501 ¥78.2K

159.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$12.7K ¥2.0M

39.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$44.28 ¥6,918

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$30.37 ¥4,744

6.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$60.3 ¥9,420

3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$90.5 ¥14.1K

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$435 ¥67.9K

182.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$297 ¥46.4K

121.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$909 ¥142.0K

160.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$783 ¥122.3K

73.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,053 ¥633.2K

115.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,818 ¥284.0K

116.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,966 ¥307.1K

44.64%

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 Nishinomiya: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $435 in Nishinomiya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo versus $31.00 in Nishinomiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $329 – making Nishinomiya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nishinomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,855 in Nishinomiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nishinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo and $31.00 in Nishinomiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,653 in Tokyo and $1,237 in Nishinomiya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nishinomiya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.