Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Tsushima Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Tsushima Island: $1,232 a month against $1,686 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo, Japan
Tsushima Island, Japan
Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,686
/mo nomad
Tsushima Island
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,232
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Tsushima Island

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Tsushima Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,686 per month in Tokyo vs $1,232 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,686
  • Tsushima Island $1,232

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,930 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,604
  • Tsushima Island $1,930

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Tokyo vs $2,629 in Tsushima Island, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,522
  • Tsushima Island $2,629

Tokyo costs about 37% more than Tsushima Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Tokyo sits 25% above the global median, while Tsushima Island is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 ¥1,215
$6.98 ¥1,106
9.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.82 ¥5,991
$35.22 ¥5,579
7.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.20 ¥824
$5.63 ¥893
-7.64%
Cappuccino
$3.69 ¥584
$3.10 ¥491
19.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 ¥268
$1.14 ¥181
48.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 ¥135
$0.82 ¥129
4.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.77 ¥598
$2.06 ¥327
83.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67 ¥899
$3.10 ¥491
82.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 ¥244
$1.52 ¥241
1.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 ¥267
$1.67 ¥264
1.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.52 ¥874
$4.69 ¥743
17.70%
Eggs
$2.29 ¥363
$2.26 ¥358
1.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 ¥1,773
$10.19 ¥1,615
9.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.82 ¥1,080
$6.17 ¥977
10.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.14 ¥2,715
$15.46 ¥2,449
10.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.56 ¥722
$5.42 ¥858
-15.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ¥348
$2.62 ¥416
-16.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.28 ¥678
$3.95 ¥626
8.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.05 ¥800
$4.49 ¥711
12.47%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 ¥494
$3.35 ¥531
-6.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 ¥460
$2.55 ¥403
14.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 ¥191
$1.32 ¥209
-9.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥121
$0.87 ¥139
-11.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03 ¥638
$4.08 ¥646
-1.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.65 ¥1,529
$6.48 ¥1,027
48.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 ¥265
$1.94 ¥307
-13.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 ¥446
$2.36 ¥374
19.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 ¥196
$1.60 ¥254
-22.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.4 ¥10.0K
$55.6 ¥8,813
13.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 ¥514
$3.54 ¥561
-8.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.11 ¥492
$2.99 ¥474
4.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.81 ¥2,980
$20.96 ¥3,320
-10.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.19 ¥188
-7.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K ¥3.6M
$23.6K ¥3.7M
-3.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$17.2K ¥2.7M
-10.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 ¥25.2K
$138 ¥21.9K
15.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.73 ¥3,758
$27.47 ¥4,351
-13.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.06 ¥4,762
$33.39 ¥5,289
-9.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.5 ¥9,271
$58.3 ¥9,231
0.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.75 ¥4,079
$13.99 ¥2,216
84.06%
Cinema Ticket
$13.27 ¥2,102
$13.37 ¥2,118
-0.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,423 ¥225.4K
$284 ¥45.1K
400.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.5K ¥3.7M
$13.3K ¥2.1M
76.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7 ¥8,666
$43.63 ¥6,912
25.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56 ¥5,157
$29.76 ¥4,715
9.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.7 ¥10.2K
$59.3 ¥9,388
9.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.0 ¥11.6K
$90.5 ¥14.3K
-19.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,308 ¥207.1K
$473 ¥74.9K
176.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$714 ¥113.2K
$326 ¥51.6K
119.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,676 ¥423.8K
$873 ¥138.3K
206.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,423 ¥225.4K
$666 ¥105.5K
113.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.1K ¥1.8M
$2,785 ¥441.2K
297.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,530 ¥875.9K
$1,744 ¥276.3K
217.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Tsushima Island
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,845 ¥450.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
1.81
24.31%

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

Last update for Tokyo: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tsushima Island: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$714
Tsushima Island
$326 54.4% $389
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$323
Tsushima Island
$307 5.1% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$213
Tsushima Island
$199 6.6% $14
Eating Out
Tokyo
$162
Tsushima Island
$134 16.9% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Tsushima Island
$100 0.8% $0.8
Getting Around
Tokyo
$87
Tsushima Island
$81 7.6% $6.6
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$85
Tsushima Island
$85 0% $0

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,308 in Tokyo versus $473 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 $38 in Tokyo versus $35 in Tsushima Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $307 – making Tsushima Island the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Tsushima Island
🕒 Local time
07:17 7:17 AM
07:17 7:17 AM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
28,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.31 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Tsushima Island 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Tsushima Island

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Tokyo and in Tsushima Island compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,686 in Tokyo, $1,232 in Tsushima Island – Tsushima Island comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Tokyo compared to Tsushima Island?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,529 per month in Tokyo and $1,848 in Tsushima Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tokyo and Tsushima Island?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tsushima Island, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $473 there versus $1,308 in Tokyo.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Tokyo, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tokyo and $35 in Tsushima Island. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $2,000 go in Tokyo compared to Tsushima Island?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,686 in Tokyo and $1,232 in Tsushima Island, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Tokyo or Tsushima Island?
Families tend to lean toward Tsushima Island – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Tokyo or Tsushima Island safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: Tokyo or Tsushima Island?
For expats, Tsushima Island is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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