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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,280 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,942 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,605 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 33% more than Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,315

$6.79 ¥1,103

19.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,926

$34.49 ¥5,605

41.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.06 ¥823

8.30%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.49 ¥568

3.15%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.06 ¥172

19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.77 ¥125

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.11 ¥343

93.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.09 ¥340

160.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.62 ¥263

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.54 ¥250

-1.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.25 ¥690

25.65%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.58 ¥257

46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,594

$10.63 ¥1,727

50.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.65 ¥1,081

22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,665

$15.53 ¥2,525

45.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.44 ¥885

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.51 ¥408

3.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.92 ¥637

51.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.14 ¥672

46.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.90 ¥471

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.55 ¥415

32.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.54 ¥250

-5.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.38 ¥224

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.78 ¥776

-11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,514

$8.82 ¥1,434

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.05 ¥333

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.40 ¥553

-15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$2.05 ¥333

-27.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.8K

$22.79 ¥3,704

271.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥549

$4.19 ¥680

-19.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.02 ¥328

44.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,265

$20.50 ¥3,332

28.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$27.8K ¥4.5M

-15.20%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.6K ¥2.9M

-2.38%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$230 ¥37.4K

-27.15%

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

$25.82 ¥4,196

$16.69 ¥2,713

54.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,445

$39.95 ¥6,492

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-26.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,290

$14.10 ¥2,291

43.62%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,125

$11.65 ¥1,894

12.19%

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

$495 ¥80.4K

$242 ¥39.3K

104.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

16.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10.0K

$45.11 ¥7,332

36.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,771

$29.19 ¥4,744

42.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

-3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$97.4 ¥15.8K

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$383 ¥62.2K

192.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.6K

$280 ¥45.5K

116.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.6K

$659 ¥107.1K

306.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$569 ¥92.5K

135.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,382 ¥712.2K

136.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.3K

$2,093 ¥340.2K

138.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.6K

$2,126 ¥345.5K

9.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

72.00%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $383 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 10% 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 $34.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $316 – 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 33%, 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,920 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 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 $49.00 in Tokyo and $34.00 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 $1,280, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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.