Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Otsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Otsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,223 in Otsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $1,920 in Otsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $2,617 in Otsu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 27% above, Otsu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$8.50 ¥1,382

-4.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.39 ¥5,587

41.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.47 ¥888

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.01 ¥490

19.60%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$0.91 ¥149

39.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.72 ¥117

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.45 ¥560

18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.20 ¥520

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.69 ¥275

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.71 ¥278

-11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$3.10 ¥503

72.26%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.34 ¥379

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.56 ¥1,554

66.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$7.71 ¥1,253

5.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.61 ¥2,537

44.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.46 ¥887

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.60 ¥422

-0.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.83 ¥785

22.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$3.94 ¥641

54.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$1.60 ¥260

102.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.37 ¥385

43.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.31 ¥212

10.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.01 ¥164

-13.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.06 ¥660

4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.06 ¥1,472

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.80 ¥292

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.40 ¥390

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.59 ¥258

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$54.9 ¥8,916

54.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.44 ¥559

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.93 ¥475

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$17.07 ¥2,773

53.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.19 ¥194

0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

3.24%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

0.58%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$110 ¥17.9K

52.31%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.63 ¥4,326

-3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.78 ¥5,488

-0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$54.9 ¥8,916

29.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.64 ¥2,216

48.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.54 ¥2,037

4.23%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$374 ¥60.7K

32.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$7,474 ¥1.2M

110.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$45.41 ¥7,378

35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$31.67 ¥5,146

31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$56.1 ¥9,119

17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$92.5 ¥15.0K

-1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$468 ¥76.1K

139.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$323 ¥52.5K

87.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$856 ¥139.1K

213.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$669 ¥108.8K

100.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,318 ¥701.6K

139.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,079 ¥337.7K

139.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,769 ¥287.5K

31.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Otsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $468 in Otsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 32% 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 $34.00 in Otsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $311 per month, with Otsu 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Otsu wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Otsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% 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 $468 in Otsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $374 in Otsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Tokyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,223 in Otsu versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Otsu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Otsu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Otsu 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 Otsu 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.