Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Oita Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Oita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,140 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,739 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,339 in Oita.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 49% more expensive than in Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Oita is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$5.70 ¥926

41.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$41.49 ¥6,741

17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.99 ¥973

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$2.02 ¥328

78.22%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.09 ¥177

16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.72 ¥116

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.46 ¥562

17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.09 ¥502

76.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.27 ¥206

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.33 ¥216

13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.12 ¥669

29.61%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.57 ¥418

-9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$5.73 ¥931

178.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.09 ¥990

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$11.50 ¥1,869

96.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.36 ¥871

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$4.95 ¥803

-47.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$5.30 ¥861

11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$2.27 ¥368

167.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$1.41 ¥229

129.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.41 ¥229

140.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.23 ¥201

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.81 ¥131

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.80 ¥617

11.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$6.12 ¥994

52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.10 ¥341

36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.28 ¥207

15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$34.22 ¥5,559

147.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.37 ¥547

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$1.97 ¥319

47.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$19.35 ¥3,144

35.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.22 ¥197

-1.64%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

2.15%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$14.5K ¥2.4M

18.29%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$81.2 ¥13.2K

106.58%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.71 ¥4,502

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$22.15 ¥3,598

51.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$55.8 ¥9,060

27.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$6.81 ¥1,107

197.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$10.21 ¥1,659

28.01%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$414 ¥67.2K

19.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

17.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$40.05 ¥6,506

53.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.65 ¥4,818

40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$67.1 ¥10.9K

-1.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$93.2 ¥15.1K

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$470 ¥76.4K

138.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$373 ¥60.5K

62.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$763 ¥124.0K

251.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$562 ¥91.3K

138.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,106 ¥667.1K

152.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,771 ¥287.8K

181.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,258 ¥204.5K

85.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.5

14.67%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oita: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $470 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 85% 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 Oita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $272 per month, with Oita 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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 85% 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $470 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $414 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,140 in Oita versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oita delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,140 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oita hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Oita 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 Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.