Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shiga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,733 per month in Tokyo vs $1,202 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Tokyo vs $1,890 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,760 per month in Tokyo vs $2,578 in Shiga, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 44% more than Shiga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 30% above the global median, while Shiga is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ¥1,273

$7.01 ¥1,104

15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.59 ¥7,656

$35.17 ¥5,541

38.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥855

$4.76 ¥750

13.87%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ¥572

$2.76 ¥435

31.52%

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

$1.20 ¥189

$1.09 ¥171

10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$0.76 ¥119

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ¥637

$2.82 ¥444

43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ¥867

$4.38 ¥690

25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥257

$1.32 ¥207

23.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥250

$1.42 ¥224

11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 ¥845

$4.07 ¥642

31.70%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥371

$2.41 ¥379

-2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,482

$10.55 ¥1,663

49.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ¥1,233

$6.45 ¥1,017

21.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.09 ¥3,639

$18.59 ¥2,930

24.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 ¥838

$3.48 ¥549

52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥415

$2.09 ¥329

25.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 ¥936

$2.55 ¥402

132.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥929

$4.37 ¥689

35.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$1.66 ¥261

102.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 ¥529

$1.24 ¥195

170.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ¥225

$1.33 ¥210

6.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.82 ¥129

8.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥673

$3.87 ¥609

10.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,471

$9.20 ¥1,450

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$2.14 ¥338

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ¥466

$3.04 ¥479

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥222

$1.62 ¥255

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 ¥12.9K

$55.2 ¥8,703

47.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥559

$4.58 ¥722

-22.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥451

$3.36 ¥530

-14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.61 ¥4,193

$23.51 ¥3,705

13.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.21 ¥191

-1.65%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$22.9K ¥3.6M

1.86%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$17.2K ¥2.7M

1.72%

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

$167 ¥26.3K

$130 ¥20.5K

27.94%

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

$26.04 ¥4,103

$27.43 ¥4,322

-5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.85 ¥5,177

$30.97 ¥4,880

6.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ¥11.1K

$56.5 ¥8,897

24.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 ¥3,274

$13.66 ¥2,153

52.12%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 ¥2,069

$12.70 ¥2,001

3.39%

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

$501 ¥78.9K

$69.3 ¥10.9K

623.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

50.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 ¥9,521

$43.83 ¥6,906

37.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.49 ¥6,379

$29.54 ¥4,655

37.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$67.3 ¥10.6K

-3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ¥14.3K

$94.2 ¥14.8K

-3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 ¥175.2K

$476 ¥75.0K

133.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥93.6K

$330 ¥51.9K

80.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 ¥410.8K

$850 ¥133.9K

206.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 ¥206.3K

$657 ¥103.5K

99.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$4,731 ¥745.4K

121.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,871 ¥767.4K

$1,754 ¥276.4K

177.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥369.6K

$1,155 ¥182.0K

103.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Shiga: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,112 in Tokyo versus $476 in Shiga. 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 103% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Shiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $293 – making Shiga 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 Shiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,733 in Tokyo, $1,202 in Shiga – roughly 44% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,599 per month in Tokyo and $1,803 in Shiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $501 per month in Tokyo and $69.3 in Shiga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Tokyo at $1,733. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Shiga to $1,733 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Shiga. 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.