Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Toyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Toyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,188 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,866 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,543 in Toyama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 42% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Toyama is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$5.71 ¥913

41.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$41.63 ¥6,659

16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.24 ¥678

34.20%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.07 ¥491

16.29%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.67 ¥108

88.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.64 ¥102

45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.13 ¥341

99.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.04 ¥327

159.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.24 ¥198

27.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$0.80 ¥127

98.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.99 ¥798

6.61%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.31 ¥370

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$6.41 ¥1,025

150.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$3.51 ¥561

123.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.29 ¥2,446

51.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.88 ¥940

-11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.14 ¥502

-18.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.97 ¥636

44.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$6.01 ¥962

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.26 ¥521

-1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$4.35 ¥695

-19.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.35 ¥216

9.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.63 ¥100

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.24 ¥679

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.29 ¥1,486

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.75 ¥281

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.04 ¥327

41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.4 ¥9,013

50.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.37 ¥540

3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.30 ¥527

-13.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.77 ¥3,482

22.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.20 ¥193

1.67%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.13%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.3K ¥2.9M

-4.60%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$145 ¥23.1K

13.08%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.48 ¥4,396

-3.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.49 ¥5,356

1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$42.17 ¥6,746

63.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.60 ¥2,175

47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.55 ¥2,008

4.06%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$137 ¥22.0K

268.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

14.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.39 ¥6,781

41.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.83 ¥4,771

35.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.1 ¥9,610

7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$110 ¥17.5K

-16.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$262 ¥41.9K

317.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$343 ¥54.9K

73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$704 ¥112.6K

270.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$655 ¥104.7K

104.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,182 ¥669.0K

158.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,569 ¥410.9K

93.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.05

-16.10%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $262 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $42.00 in Toyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $289 – making Toyama 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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,188 in Toyama – roughly 42% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,783 in Toyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $42.00 in Toyama. 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 Toyama, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Toyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,188 in Toyama to $1,684 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.