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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,315 in Tsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $2,050 in Tsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,784 in Tsu, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 27% more than Tsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Tsu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,184

$6.36 ¥993

19.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,091

$18.04 ¥2,817

116.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥802

$3.82 ¥596

34.29%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥587

$2.46 ¥384

52.85%

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

$1.67 ¥261

$1.18 ¥184

41.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥139

$0.65 ¥101

36.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥626

$2.10 ¥328

90.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥828

$2.30 ¥358

130.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.60 ¥250

-3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥250

$1.34 ¥210

19.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥914

$5.71 ¥891

2.45%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥352

$2.07 ¥323

9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,669

$13.10 ¥2,046

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,191

$9.91 ¥1,548

-23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,969

$33.12 ¥5,173

-42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥772

$5.13 ¥801

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥370

$3.59 ¥561

-33.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$3.18 ¥497

36.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥860

$4.27 ¥667

28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥527

$3.94 ¥615

-14.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥497

$3.54 ¥553

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥186

$1.27 ¥199

-6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$1.03 ¥161

-16.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥622

$3.53 ¥552

12.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,549

$8.32 ¥1,300

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥277

$2.08 ¥325

-14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥444

$1.56 ¥244

82.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥199

$1.47 ¥230

-13.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.3K

$58.4 ¥9,117

23.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.15 ¥492

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥514

$3.14 ¥491

4.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥2,991

$27.01 ¥4,217

-29.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.04 ¥163

4.81%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$19.4K ¥3.0M

14.33%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$16.8K ¥2.6M

-7.06%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$151 ¥23.6K

4.33%

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

$22.59 ¥3,529

$24.90 ¥3,889

-9.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,875

$43.69 ¥6,823

-28.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.1K

$52.1 ¥8,129

24.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,058

$12.95 ¥2,022

100.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,037

$8.45 ¥1,320

54.32%

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

$1,395 ¥217.8K

$329 ¥51.3K

324.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$6,202 ¥968.5K

196.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,454

$50.9 ¥7,947

6.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,272

$26.14 ¥4,082

29.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$47.63 ¥7,439

36.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$66.5 ¥10.4K

9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥199.7K

$520 ¥81.1K

146.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥107.8K

$339 ¥53.0K

103.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥388.5K

$1,034 ¥161.4K

140.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.0K

$746 ¥116.4K

90.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$3,763 ¥587.7K

144.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥701.4K

$1,792 ¥279.9K

150.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥476.2K

$1,573 ¥245.6K

93.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.9

2.11%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tsu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $520 in Tsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 94% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo versus $18.00 in Tsu. Groceries tell a different story – $341 in Tokyo vs $397 in Tsu – so Tokyo 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,665 in Tokyo, $1,315 in Tsu – roughly 27% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Tokyo and $1,973 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Tokyo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tokyo and $18.00 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 $1,315, than in Tokyo at $1,665. 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 $1,315 in Tsu to $1,665 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.