Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,231 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,857 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,483 in Tsu, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Tsu is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.96 ¥1,131

16.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$19.23 ¥3,125

153.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$4.24 ¥689

29.25%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.24 ¥526

11.11%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.14 ¥185

11.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.71 ¥115

21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.84 ¥462

43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$4.40 ¥715

23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.60 ¥259

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.43 ¥233

5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.81 ¥781

11.02%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.46 ¥399

-5.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.75 ¥1,746

48.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.58 ¥1,068

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$19.22 ¥3,123

17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.55 ¥577

55.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.13 ¥347

21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$2.49 ¥405

137.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.31 ¥700

40.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$1.73 ¥280

87.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.25 ¥203

171.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.37 ¥222

5.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.90 ¥146

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.95 ¥641

7.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.40 ¥1,528

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.11 ¥342

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.91 ¥472

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.61 ¥262

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$56.5 ¥9,184

49.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.43 ¥720

-23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.39 ¥551

-14.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$23.34 ¥3,791

12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.23 ¥200

-2.44%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.7K ¥3.7M

3.72%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

0.15%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$133 ¥21.7K

25.67%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.56 ¥4,315

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$30.61 ¥4,974

9.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.6 ¥9,196

25.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.81 ¥2,244

46.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.41 ¥2,017

5.32%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$68.8 ¥11.2K

618.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

49.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$44.16 ¥7,175

39.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.57 ¥4,804

40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$67.7 ¥11.0K

-2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$94.8 ¥15.4K

-3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$463 ¥75.2K

141.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$325 ¥52.8K

86.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$859 ¥139.6K

212.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$664 ¥107.8K

102.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,866 ¥790.6K

112.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,303 ¥374.2K

116.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $463 in Tsu. 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $19.00 in Tsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $303 – making Tsu 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,231 in Tsu – roughly 38% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,847 in Tsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $49.00 in Tokyo and $19.00 in Tsu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsu, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Tsu 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 $1,231 in Tsu to $1,701 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 Tsu. 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.