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 $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,188 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,849 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,510 in Setagaya-ku, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 42% more than Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Setagaya-ku is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.83 ¥1,092

18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.18 ¥5,628

37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.26 ¥841

8.17%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.26 ¥522

9.51%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.10 ¥176

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.76 ¥121

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.13 ¥341

99.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.07 ¥331

156.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.56 ¥250

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.76 ¥281

-9.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.89 ¥783

8.79%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.52 ¥243

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$9.89 ¥1,582

62.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.22 ¥995

26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.46 ¥2,473

49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.90 ¥944

-11.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.04 ¥486

-15.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.92 ¥627

46.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.66 ¥745

28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.37 ¥539

-4.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.73 ¥596

-5.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.38 ¥221

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.82 ¥131

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.99 ¥638

7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.27 ¥1,483

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.74 ¥279

23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.07 ¥331

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.49 ¥238

-0.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.6 ¥8,892

52.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.54 ¥567

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.99 ¥478

-4.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$22.35 ¥3,575

19.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

0.49%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-6.29%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$83.7 ¥13.4K

95.47%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.09 ¥4,332

-1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.07 ¥5,449

-0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$49.31 ¥7,888

39.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.92 ¥2,227

44.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.05 ¥2,088

0.08%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$284 ¥45.5K

78.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

11.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$41.49 ¥6,637

44.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$24.15 ¥3,862

66.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$45.87 ¥7,337

41.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$98.7 ¥15.8K

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$461 ¥73.7K

137.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$334 ¥53.4K

78.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$859 ¥137.4K

203.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$668 ¥106.9K

100.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,689 ¥750.1K

130.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,426 ¥388.0K

105.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,419 ¥226.9K

76.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $461 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 76% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Setagaya-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $317 – 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 42% 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 $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,782 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 21% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo and $35.00 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 $1,188, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,188 versus $1,684 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.