Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Toyama

For one person, living is cheaper in Toyama: $1,175 a month against $1,648 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,648
/mo nomad
Toyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,175
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Toyama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Toyama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,648 per month in Tokyo vs $1,175 in Toyama, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,648
  • Toyama $1,175

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,880 in Toyama, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,604
  • Toyama $1,880

A family of three spends $3,561 per month in Tokyo vs $2,584 in Toyama, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,561
  • Toyama $2,584

Tokyo costs about 40% more than Toyama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Toyama is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.79 ¥1,230
$3.94 ¥622
97.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.57 ¥6,094
$40.27 ¥6,362
-4.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.99 ¥788
$4.98 ¥787
0.20%
Cappuccino
$3.58 ¥565
$3.33 ¥526
7.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ¥249
$1.05 ¥166
49.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ¥142
$0.79 ¥125
13.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ¥593
$2.45 ¥387
53.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 ¥825
$3.10 ¥489
68.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ¥246
$1.13 ¥178
37.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 ¥277
$0.77 ¥122
127.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.56 ¥879
$3.55 ¥561
56.62%
Eggs
$2.25 ¥355
$2.07 ¥327
8.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.31 ¥1,787
$10.50 ¥1,659
7.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 ¥1,068
$6.13 ¥968
10.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.83 ¥2,658
$14.44 ¥2,281
16.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.66 ¥736
$5.73 ¥906
-18.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 ¥359
$2.73 ¥431
-16.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.33 ¥683
$2.85 ¥450
51.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.23 ¥826
$4.27 ¥675
22.48%
Potato (1kg)
$3.33 ¥526
$2.55 ¥402
30.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.00 ¥474
$2.65 ¥419
13.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 ¥183
$1.30 ¥205
-10.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥130
$0.65 ¥102
27.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$3.77 ¥595
2.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.53 ¥1,506
$6.44 ¥1,017
47.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥257
$1.72 ¥272
-5.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 ¥414
$2.00 ¥316
31.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ¥193
$1.51 ¥239
-19.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.3 ¥9,848
$53.9 ¥8,509
15.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 ¥505
$3.23 ¥510
-1.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 ¥489
$2.64 ¥418
17.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.70 ¥2,954
$20.28 ¥3,203
-7.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.11 ¥175
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K ¥3.5M
$21.0K ¥3.3M
5.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$18.0K ¥2.8M
-16.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 ¥23.4K
$130 ¥20.6K
13.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.75 ¥3,594
$24.54 ¥3,878
-7.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.86 ¥4,717
$31.59 ¥4,991
-5.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.5 ¥10.4K
$53.1 ¥8,381
23.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.19 ¥4,137
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.22 ¥2,089
$11.31 ¥1,786
16.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,314 ¥207.6K
$626 ¥98.9K
109.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K ¥2.8M
$14.6K ¥2.3M
22.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 ¥8,584
$62.8 ¥9,928
-13.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.73 ¥5,172
$37.20 ¥5,877
-12.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.4 ¥10.3K
$62.0 ¥9,794
5.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6 ¥11.2K
$101 ¥16.0K
-30.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 ¥203.4K
$234 ¥37.0K
449.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$684 ¥108.1K
$330 ¥52.1K
107.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,507 ¥396.1K
$1,091 ¥172.3K
129.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ¥230.6K
$730 ¥115.4K
99.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,204 ¥1.5M
$4,156 ¥656.5K
121.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,226 ¥667.6K
$1,755 ¥277.3K
140.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Toyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,994 ¥473.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
2.64
-14.77%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Toyama: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$684
Toyama
$330 51.8% $355
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$326
Toyama
$276 15.3% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$201
Toyama
$186 7.1% $14
Eating Out
Tokyo
$159
Toyama
$112 29.6% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$100
Toyama
$118 18% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$92
Toyama
$76 17.7% $16
Getting Around
Tokyo
$86
Toyama
$76 11.1% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,288 in Tokyo versus $234 in Toyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo versus $40.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $326 in Tokyo vs $276 in Toyama – so Toyama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Toyama
🕒 Local time
12:52 12:52 PM
12:52 12:52 PM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
421,259
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Toyama 260 km
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Toyama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tokyo and in Toyama compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,648 in Tokyo, $1,175 in Toyama – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tokyo compared to Toyama?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,473 per month in Tokyo and $1,762 in Toyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tokyo and Toyama?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Toyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo and $40.00 in Toyama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toyama, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Tokyo at $1,648. In Toyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tokyo and Toyama?
It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,175 in Toyama to $1,648 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tokyo or Toyama safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tokyo and Toyama?
If budget matters most, go with Toyama. 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.

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