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 $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,216 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,898 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,580 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Tsushima Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Tsushima Island is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,189

$6.85 ¥1,075

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,117

$34.32 ¥5,383

13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥805

$5.52 ¥866

-7.07%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥589

$3.05 ¥479

23.28%

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

$1.67 ¥262

$1.09 ¥171

53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.80 ¥126

11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥628

$2.07 ¥325

93.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥831

$3.16 ¥496

67.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥242

$1.54 ¥241

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥251

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥918

$4.81 ¥754

21.62%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥354

$2.23 ¥350

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,676

$10.02 ¥1,572

6.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,196

$6.46 ¥1,013

17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,982

$15.35 ¥2,408

23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥775

$5.35 ¥838

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥371

$2.62 ¥411

-9.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥681

$4.05 ¥635

7.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥863

$4.62 ¥725

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥529

$3.33 ¥522

1.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥499

$2.69 ¥422

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥187

$1.32 ¥207

-9.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.89 ¥140

-3.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥625

$4.19 ¥657

-5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,556

$6.62 ¥1,038

49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥278

$2.00 ¥314

-11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥446

$2.39 ¥374

18.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥200

$1.66 ¥260

-23.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.4K

$54.5 ¥8,554

32.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥502

$3.41 ¥535

-6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥516

$2.87 ¥449

14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥3,004

$20.83 ¥3,267

-8.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.18 ¥186

-7.63%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

-2.79%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.3K ¥2.7M

-10.14%

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

$158 ¥24.7K

$139 ¥21.8K

13.48%

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

$22.59 ¥3,544

$27.55 ¥4,321

-18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,896

$33.49 ¥5,252

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$57.6 ¥9,030

12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,076

$13.94 ¥2,186

86.44%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,046

$13.12 ¥2,058

-0.61%

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

$1,395 ¥218.8K

$284 ¥44.5K

391.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$13.5K ¥2.1M

36.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,491

$44.05 ¥6,909

22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,295

$28.97 ¥4,543

16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$60.2 ¥9,438

8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.4K

$92.1 ¥14.4K

-21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥200.6K

$466 ¥73.1K

174.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥108.2K

$330 ¥51.8K

109.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥390.2K

$852 ¥133.7K

191.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.9K

$660 ¥103.5K

115.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$2,859 ¥448.4K

222.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥704.5K

$1,775 ¥278.4K

153.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,049 ¥478.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.81

7.18%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tsushima Island: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $466 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Tsushima Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 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: $1,665 in Tokyo, $1,216 in Tsushima Island – roughly 37% 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 $1,824 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 10% 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 $39.00 in Tokyo and $34.00 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 $1,216, than in Tokyo at $1,665. 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 $1,216 in Tsushima Island 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 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.