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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,307 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,995 in Shizuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,682 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 29% more than Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.74 ¥1,078

20.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.42 ¥5,506

40.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.14 ¥823

10.70%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.51 ¥562

1.71%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.05 ¥168

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.77 ¥124

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.11 ¥337

101.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.05 ¥328

158.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.59 ¥255

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.52 ¥243

4.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.21 ¥673

26.37%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.52 ¥243

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.95 ¥1,751

46.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.43 ¥1,029

22.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.53 ¥2,485

49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.40 ¥863

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.48 ¥397

3.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.93 ¥628

45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.15 ¥663

43.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.94 ¥470

9.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.49 ¥399

40.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.54 ¥246

-3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.37 ¥219

-34.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.78 ¥764

-10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$8.87 ¥1,419

5.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.06 ¥330

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.57 ¥571

-19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$2.02 ¥324

-26.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$23.03 ¥3,684

268.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.11 ¥658

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.02 ¥323

42.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$20.50 ¥3,279

30.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.20 ¥192

1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$27.6K ¥4.4M

-14.98%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-1.40%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$235 ¥37.6K

-30.43%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$17.16 ¥2,744

55.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$40.20 ¥6,430

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$97.9 ¥15.7K

-29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.06 ¥2,249

43.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.82 ¥1,890

10.49%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$246 ¥39.3K

105.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$45.31 ¥7,248

32.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$30.03 ¥4,804

34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$68.6 ¥11.0K

-5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$96.1 ¥15.4K

-5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$378 ¥60.5K

189.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$282 ¥45.1K

111.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$671 ¥107.3K

288.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$571 ¥91.4K

134.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$6,015 ¥962.0K

79.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$4,151 ¥664.0K

19.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$2,196 ¥351.3K

13.90%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $378 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 14% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 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 29%, 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 $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,961 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 $48.00 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 $1,307, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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.