Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shiso Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shiso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,106 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,996 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,887 in Shiso, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 52% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Shiso is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.17 ¥1,306

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$67.6 ¥10.8K

-28.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.40 ¥1,024

-11.09%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.62 ¥579

-1.38%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.86 ¥137

46.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.70 ¥112

32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.56 ¥409

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.14 ¥503

68.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.60 ¥256

-1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$2.97 ¥475

-46.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.84 ¥774

9.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.23 ¥356

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.22 ¥1,635

56.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.23 ¥997

26.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$27.03 ¥4,324

-14.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.36 ¥857

-2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.63 ¥420

-2.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.95 ¥632

45.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.05 ¥968

-1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$4.48 ¥717

-28.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.59 ¥415

35.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.33 ¥212

11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.84 ¥134

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.28 ¥684

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$7.40 ¥1,184

26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.86 ¥298

15.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.26 ¥361

27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.34 ¥215

10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$33.38 ¥5,340

154.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.50 ¥560

-0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.89 ¥463

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.17 ¥3,385

26.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.22 ¥196

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.61%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

2.00%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$145 ¥23.2K

12.95%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$67.3 ¥10.8K

-60.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$13.41 ¥2,145

153.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$37.17 ¥5,945

85.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.73 ¥2,196

46.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$4.57 ¥732

185.78%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$279 ¥44.5K

81.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$9.82 ¥1,571

511.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$28.89 ¥4,621

39.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$33.14 ¥5,300

95.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$101 ¥16.1K

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$459 ¥73.4K

138.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$167 ¥26.8K

256.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$881 ¥141.0K

196.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$668 ¥106.9K

100.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,211 ¥673.6K

156.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,988 ¥318.0K

150.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shiso: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $459 in Shiso. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $68.0 in Shiso. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Tokyo vs $368 in Shiso – so Shiso wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,658 in Shiso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,684 in Tokyo and $1,106 in Shiso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 154% less in Shiso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shiso, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Shiso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shiso – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Shiso. 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.