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: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,231 in Takamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $1,907 in Takamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,583 in Takamatsu.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 37% more expensive than Takamatsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tokyo is 26% above, Takamatsu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.09 ¥1,134

14.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.03 ¥5,603

37.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.35 ¥856

6.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.06 ¥489

16.67%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.11 ¥177

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.81 ¥130

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.53 ¥405

67.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.17 ¥507

67.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.56 ¥250

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.58 ¥253

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$1.95 ¥311

172.82%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.54 ¥407

-5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.03 ¥1,605

59.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.34 ¥1,015

23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.58 ¥2,491

48.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.48 ¥877

-4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.62 ¥419

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.93 ¥629

45.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.76 ¥921

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.00 ¥480

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.56 ¥410

37.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.37 ¥220

8.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.82 ¥131

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.27 ¥682

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$8.49 ¥1,358

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.92 ¥308

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.18 ¥348

32.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.64 ¥263

-9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.8 ¥8,757

55.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.43 ¥549

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.98 ¥477

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.03 ¥3,363

27.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.18 ¥189

3.39%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.08%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.74%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$143 ¥22.9K

14.15%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.19 ¥4,348

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.37 ¥5,497

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.5 ¥9,043

21.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.79 ¥2,205

45.83%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.50 ¥2,000

4.48%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$279 ¥44.6K

81.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

16.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.61 ¥6,816

41.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.64 ¥4,741

36.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.3 ¥9,640

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$90.8 ¥14.5K

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$461 ¥73.8K

137.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$335 ¥53.6K

78.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$854 ¥136.5K

205.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$671 ¥107.3K

99.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,176 ¥668.0K

158.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,406 ¥384.9K

106.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,717 ¥274.7K

45.66%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Takamatsu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $461 in Takamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 46% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Takamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $306 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 37% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,231 including rent). Takamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 46% more on average, 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $461 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 55% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $279 in Takamatsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,231 in Takamatsu versus $1,684 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 37% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.