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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,147 in Toyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,850 in Toyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,553 in Toyama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 44% more than Toyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Toyama is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,142

$3.85 ¥602

89.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,798

$43.75 ¥6,835

-15.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥777

$5.06 ¥790

-1.58%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥570

$3.44 ¥537

6.10%

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

$1.69 ¥263

$1.08 ¥169

56.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.80 ¥124

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥570

$2.44 ¥381

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥791

$3.18 ¥497

59.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.09 ¥170

42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥269

$0.78 ¥122

120.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥925

$3.59 ¥561

64.90%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥349

$1.98 ¥309

12.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,775

$11.72 ¥1,831

-3.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,199

$6.14 ¥959

24.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,142

$14.20 ¥2,219

41.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.69 ¥889

-8.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥393

$2.80 ¥437

-10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥725

$2.89 ¥452

60.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥923

$4.05 ¥632

45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥553

$2.61 ¥408

35.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥538

$2.60 ¥406

32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.23 ¥193

-0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.69 ¥107

24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥621

$3.78 ¥591

5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$6.22 ¥972

53.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.71 ¥267

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥474

$1.97 ¥308

53.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.50 ¥234

-18.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.6K

$51.7 ¥8,081

30.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.05 ¥476

3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.56 ¥401

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,834

$20.19 ¥3,154

-10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.09 ¥171

-4.59%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.0K ¥3.3M

3.22%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$18.1K ¥2.8M

-18.46%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$132 ¥20.6K

19.31%

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

$22.07 ¥3,448

$24.27 ¥3,791

-9.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,720

$31.86 ¥4,976

-5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,770

$50.7 ¥7,924

23.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,955

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$11.38 ¥1,777

8.08%

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

$1,300 ¥203.0K

$615 ¥96.1K

111.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

22.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥8,000

$60.7 ¥9,489

-15.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,054

$32.63 ¥5,097

-0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,777

$60.7 ¥9,484

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$101 ¥15.8K

-26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥192.2K

$237 ¥37.1K

418.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥103.0K

$349 ¥54.5K

89.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥369.9K

$1,083 ¥169.1K

118.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥212.1K

$683 ¥106.6K

98.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,012 ¥626.8K

118.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥616.2K

$1,868 ¥291.8K

111.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥444.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.12

-8.96%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Toyama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $237 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 $37.00 in Tokyo versus $44.00 in Toyama. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Tokyo vs $278 in Toyama – so Toyama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,653 in Tokyo, $1,147 in Toyama – roughly 44% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,720 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 27% 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 $37.00 in Tokyo and $44.00 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 $1,147, than in Tokyo at $1,653. 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 $1,147 in Toyama to $1,653 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.