Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Setagaya-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Setagaya-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,175 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,805 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,434 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 41% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Setagaya-ku is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.27 ¥980

16.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$25.53 ¥3,988

45.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$4.47 ¥699

11.41%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$2.89 ¥452

26.30%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.07 ¥167

57.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.60 ¥94.1

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.24 ¥351

62.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.07 ¥479

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.24 ¥193

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.71 ¥266

0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$3.57 ¥558

65.83%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$1.22 ¥191

82.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$11.57 ¥1,807

-1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$5.85 ¥914

31.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$14.22 ¥2,221

41.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.69 ¥889

-8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.79 ¥436

-10.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.77 ¥433

67.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.07 ¥637

45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.62 ¥409

35.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.65 ¥414

29.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.26 ¥198

-3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.54 ¥83.8

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.70 ¥578

7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$6.28 ¥981

51.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.71 ¥268

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.01 ¥314

50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.46 ¥228

-15.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$58.8 ¥9,186

15.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.61 ¥407

21.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.55 ¥398

19.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$20.04 ¥3,131

-9.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.06 ¥165

-1.89%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

0.36%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$17.8K ¥2.8M

-17.24%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$130 ¥20.3K

20.58%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.06 ¥3,759

-8.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$31.88 ¥4,980

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$50.4 ¥7,880

23.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.79 ¥1,842

4.33%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$635 ¥99.1K

104.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

22.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$36.87 ¥5,760

38.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$32.69 ¥5,106

-1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$60.4 ¥9,437

3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$62.1 ¥9,696

20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$459 ¥71.7K

168.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$320 ¥50.1K

105.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,206 ¥188.5K

96.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$693 ¥108.2K

95.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,726 ¥738.3K

85.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$2,124 ¥331.9K

85.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,446 ¥226.0K

96.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

-3.50%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $459 in Setagaya-ku. 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 97% 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 $26.00 in Setagaya-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $282 – making Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 41% more than Setagaya-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,763 in Setagaya-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 26% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo and $26.00 in Setagaya-ku. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Setagaya-ku costs $1,175 versus $1,653 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Setagaya-ku. 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.