Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shizuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Shizuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,164 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,830 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,496 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,189

$6.54 ¥1,026

15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,117

$32.43 ¥5,087

20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥805

$5.24 ¥822

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥589

$2.97 ¥465

26.60%

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

$1.67 ¥262

$1.00 ¥157

67.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.72 ¥112

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥628

$2.83 ¥444

41.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥831

$4.01 ¥628

32.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥242

$1.53 ¥241

0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥251

$1.33 ¥209

20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥918

$4.64 ¥728

26.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥354

$1.83 ¥287

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,676

$7.16 ¥1,123

49.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,196

$5.51 ¥865

38.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,982

$14.35 ¥2,251

32.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥775

$3.48 ¥546

41.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥371

$1.96 ¥308

20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥681

$3.40 ¥533

27.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥863

$3.26 ¥511

68.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥529

$1.52 ¥239

121.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥499

$1.16 ¥182

174.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥187

$1.15 ¥181

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.85 ¥133

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥625

$3.80 ¥596

4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,556

$8.87 ¥1,392

11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥278

$1.51 ¥237

17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥446

$3.19 ¥501

-10.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥200

$1.91 ¥299

-33.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.4K

$58.5 ¥9,170

23.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥502

$3.61 ¥566

-11.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥516

$1.96 ¥308

67.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥3,004

$19.66 ¥3,084

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.06 ¥167

2.83%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-0.94%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-0.55%

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

$158 ¥24.7K

$141 ¥22.2K

11.39%

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

$22.59 ¥3,544

$15.68 ¥2,460

44.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,896

$31.75 ¥4,980

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$53.2 ¥8,351

22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,076

$11.10 ¥1,741

134.14%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,046

$12.50 ¥1,960

4.32%

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

$1,395 ¥218.8K

$328 ¥51.4K

325.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$13.6K ¥2.1M

35.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,491

$19.07 ¥2,991

183.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,295

$22.25 ¥3,490

51.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$63.0 ¥9,883

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.4K

$93.4 ¥14.7K

-22.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥200.6K

$338 ¥53.0K

278.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥108.2K

$340 ¥53.3K

102.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥390.2K

$1,023 ¥160.5K

143.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.9K

$753 ¥118.2K

88.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,759 ¥589.6K

145.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥704.5K

$1,819 ¥285.4K

146.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥478.3K

$2,280 ¥357.6K

33.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

94.00%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $338 in Shizuoka. 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 34% 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $32.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $259 – making Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Tokyo and $1,746 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $39.00 in Tokyo and $32.00 in Shizuoka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Tokyo at $1,665. In Shizuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shizuoka – 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 Shizuoka. 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.