Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Takamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Takamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,163 in Takamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $1,855 in Takamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $2,548 in Takamatsu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 42% more expensive than in Takamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 20% above, Takamatsu is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$6.23 ¥973

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$34.01 ¥5,313

9.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$5.14 ¥803

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.28 ¥512

11.28%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.09 ¥170

55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.67 ¥104

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.66 ¥416

37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.06 ¥477

65.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.41 ¥220

9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$1.46 ¥228

17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$1.69 ¥264

250.30%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$2.20 ¥344

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$11.40 ¥1,780

-0.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$6.11 ¥955

25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$16.84 ¥2,630

19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.09 ¥795

1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.26 ¥353

11.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$3.14 ¥491

47.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.21 ¥658

40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.56 ¥400

38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.25 ¥352

52.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.27 ¥198

-3.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.83 ¥129

3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.78 ¥590

5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$7.41 ¥1,158

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.86 ¥291

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$2.14 ¥334

41.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.45 ¥227

-15.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$54.0 ¥8,441

25.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.99 ¥467

5.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.76 ¥431

10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$19.29 ¥3,014

-5.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.06 ¥165

-1.89%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$19.9K ¥3.1M

9.21%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$12.9K ¥2.0M

14.02%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$131 ¥20.5K

19.83%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.19 ¥3,780

-8.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$30.52 ¥4,768

-1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$51.3 ¥8,009

22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

$3.18 ¥497

696.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.84 ¥1,850

3.89%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$572 ¥89.4K

127.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$12.2K ¥1.9M

44.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$55.1 ¥8,604

-7.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$31.12 ¥4,862

3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$55.4 ¥8,651

13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$94.0 ¥14.7K

-20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$411 ¥64.3K

199.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$296 ¥46.2K

123.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,005 ¥157.0K

135.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$774 ¥120.9K

75.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,272 ¥667.4K

104.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,920 ¥300.0K

105.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

$1,731 ¥270.4K

64.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.06

-6.31%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Takamatsu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $411 in Takamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $34.00 in Takamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $288 per month, with Takamatsu cheaper across the board.

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 Takamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Takamatsu differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,653 vs $1,163 including rent). Takamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Tokyo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $411 in Takamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Takamatsu runs roughly 25% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $572 in Takamatsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,163 in Takamatsu versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Takamatsu but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Takamatsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Takamatsu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Takamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.