Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tsushima Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tsushima Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,243 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,932 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,621 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 35% more than Tsushima Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Tsushima Island is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.83 ¥1,092

18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.63 ¥5,539

39.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.61 ¥897

1.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.09 ¥494

15.53%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.13 ¥181

11.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.79 ¥127

17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.09 ¥335

103.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.16 ¥505

67.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.58 ¥253

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.60 ¥257

-0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.89 ¥781

8.79%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.23 ¥357

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.24 ¥1,638

56.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.14 ¥981

27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.42 ¥2,466

50.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.43 ¥868

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.68 ¥429

-4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.00 ¥640

43.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.56 ¥729

30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.25 ¥519

-1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.66 ¥425

31.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.40 ¥223

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.87 ¥139

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.11 ¥658

3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.52 ¥1,042

44.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.97 ¥315

9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.27 ¥364

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.60 ¥255

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.5 ¥8,723

55.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.39 ¥542

2.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.96 ¥474

-3.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$20.49 ¥3,277

30.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.23 ¥197

-0.81%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.30%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

2.66%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$141 ¥22.6K

15.81%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.21 ¥4,352

-2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.73 ¥5,394

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$57.3 ¥9,164

20.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.76 ¥2,201

46.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.09 ¥2,094

-0.23%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$283 ¥45.3K

78.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

17.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$44.05 ¥7,046

36.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.77 ¥4,762

35.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$59.3 ¥9,478

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$91.6 ¥14.7K

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$467 ¥74.7K

134.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$332 ¥53.2K

79.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$873 ¥139.6K

198.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$663 ¥106.1K

101.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$2,828 ¥452.3K

282.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,857 ¥297.1K

167.82%

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 Tsushima Island: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $467 in Tsushima Island. 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 $35.00 in Tsushima Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $309 – making Tsushima Island 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 Tsushima Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,243 in Tsushima Island – roughly 35% 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 $1,865 in Tsushima Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $35.00 in Tsushima Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tsushima Island, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Tsushima Island 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 $1,243 in Tsushima Island 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 Tsushima Island. 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.