Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tokushima Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tokushima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,366 in Tokushima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $2,107 in Tokushima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,849 in Tokushima.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 23% more expensive than Tokushima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 26% above, Tokushima 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.20 ¥1,312

-1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.69 ¥5,549

39.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.07 ¥971

-6.26%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$2.97 ¥475

20.20%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.15 ¥183

9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.70 ¥112

32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$3.51 ¥562

21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.05 ¥488

73.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.68 ¥269

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.72 ¥276

-7.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.91 ¥786

8.35%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.53 ¥404

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$17.18 ¥2,748

-6.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$7.42 ¥1,186

5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.18 ¥2,428

52.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$8.89 ¥1,423

-41.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.88 ¥461

-10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.79 ¥767

19.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.88 ¥1,100

-13.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.95 ¥632

-18.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.68 ¥429

30.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.38 ¥220

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.92 ¥147

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.42 ¥547

24.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.47 ¥1,514

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.73 ¥436

-21.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.36 ¥377

22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.64 ¥263

-9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.6 ¥8,886

52.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.37 ¥540

3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.96 ¥473

-3.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$34.15 ¥5,462

-21.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-0.24%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.2K ¥2.7M

1.49%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$139 ¥22.3K

17.33%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.05 ¥4,327

-1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.04 ¥5,445

-0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$65.1 ¥10.4K

5.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.63 ¥2,181

47.54%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.44 ¥1,991

4.98%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$481 ¥76.9K

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

38.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$46.59 ¥7,452

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$31.99 ¥5,116

26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$55.4 ¥8,866

16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$92.3 ¥14.8K

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$460 ¥73.6K

137.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$331 ¥52.9K

80.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$867 ¥138.7K

200.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$647 ¥103.6K

106.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,608 ¥737.1K

134.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,379 ¥380.5K

109.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,384 ¥221.3K

80.79%

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 Tokushima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $460 in Tokushima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 81% 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 Tokushima. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $384, with Tokyo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tokushima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokushima wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Tokyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tokushima the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tokyo pays 81% 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 $460 in Tokushima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tokushima runs roughly 53% 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 $481 in Tokushima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,366 in Tokushima versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tokushima but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Tokushima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tokushima delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,366 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tokushima hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tokyo and Tokushima 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 Tokushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.