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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,098 in Shiso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,967 in Shiso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,836 in Shiso, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 55% more than Shiso, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Shiso is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$8.03 ¥1,304

0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$67.2 ¥10.9K

-27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$6.27 ¥1,018

-12.60%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.61 ¥587

-0.28%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$0.90 ¥146

41.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.72 ¥117

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.64 ¥429

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.15 ¥512

72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.52 ¥246

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$2.97 ¥482

-49.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.87 ¥792

9.65%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.30 ¥374

0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$9.99 ¥1,623

59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.30 ¥1,023

28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$26.58 ¥4,319

-15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.33 ¥866

3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.55 ¥414

1.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.09 ¥665

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.87 ¥953

3.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$4.44 ¥721

-27.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.61 ¥424

29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.32 ¥215

9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.83 ¥135

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.11 ¥667

3.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.24 ¥1,176

28.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.91 ¥311

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.16 ¥350

32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.30 ¥211

13.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$33.01 ¥5,363

156.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.53 ¥573

-4.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.88 ¥469

1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.97 ¥3,406

25.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.28 ¥208

-6.25%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.16%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

0.76%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$146 ¥23.6K

15.23%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$65.6 ¥10.7K

-60.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$13.40 ¥2,177

150.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$37.33 ¥6,065

90.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.76 ¥2,235

47.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$4.62 ¥751

182.90%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$279 ¥45.3K

77.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

17.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$10.05 ¥1,633

512.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.71 ¥4,827

40.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$33.25 ¥5,403

98.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$102 ¥16.6K

-10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$473 ¥76.8K

136.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$165 ¥26.9K

266.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$883 ¥143.5K

203.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$670 ¥108.8K

100.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,185 ¥680.0K

147.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,075 ¥337.1K

140.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

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 Shiso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $473 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $67.0 in Shiso. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in Tokyo vs $365 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 55%, 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,647 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 $1,701 in Tokyo and $1,098 in Shiso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% 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 $1,098, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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.