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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,211 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,868 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,526 in Tsu, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 39% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Tsu is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.07 ¥1,131

14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$19.08 ¥3,052

153.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.15 ¥663

37.11%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.31 ¥530

7.85%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.08 ¥172

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.72 ¥115

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.83 ¥452

50.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.41 ¥706

20.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.57 ¥252

0.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.49 ¥239

6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.71 ¥753

12.95%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.42 ¥388

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.44 ¥1,670

53.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.22 ¥995

26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$19.12 ¥3,059

21.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.60 ¥577

45.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.12 ¥339

21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$2.60 ¥417

120.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.54 ¥726

31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$1.65 ¥263

94.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.30 ¥208

170.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.38 ¥220

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.83 ¥133

8.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.97 ¥634

7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.57 ¥1,531

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.13 ¥341

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.02 ¥483

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.59 ¥254

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.5 ¥8,711

55.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.46 ¥714

-21.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.31 ¥530

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$23.36 ¥3,736

14.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.52%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

3.35%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$134 ¥21.5K

21.76%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$26.99 ¥4,318

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$29.90 ¥4,782

13.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.3 ¥8,838

24.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.98 ¥2,236

43.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.67 ¥2,027

3.08%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$70.3 ¥11.2K

620.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$44.83 ¥7,171

34.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.22 ¥4,674

37.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$68.5 ¥11.0K

-5.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$94.2 ¥15.1K

-3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$474 ¥75.7K

131.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$336 ¥53.7K

77.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$866 ¥138.5K

201.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$669 ¥107.0K

100.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,402 ¥704.1K

145.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,430 ¥388.6K

104.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tsu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $474 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $19.00 in Tsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $302 – 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: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,211 in Tsu – roughly 39% 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 $1,816 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 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 $48.00 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 $1,211, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,211 in Tsu 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 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.