Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Ube Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Ube

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,262 in Ube, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,933 in Ube, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,604 in Ube, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 33% more than Ube, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Ube is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.01 ¥1,121

15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.18 ¥5,468

41.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.38 ¥861

5.76%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.11 ¥497

14.79%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.14 ¥183

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.81 ¥130

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.14 ¥342

98.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.08 ¥492

72.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.52 ¥243

3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.61 ¥257

-1.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.86 ¥777

9.47%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.21 ¥353

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.27 ¥1,643

56.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.41 ¥1,026

22.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.66 ¥2,504

47.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.40 ¥864

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.68 ¥428

-4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.04 ¥646

41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.44 ¥711

34.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.19 ¥510

0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.64 ¥423

32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.84 ¥134

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.04 ¥646

5.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.45 ¥1,032

45.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.98 ¥317

8.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.37 ¥378

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.65 ¥265

-10.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.4 ¥9,020

50.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.45 ¥551

1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.98 ¥476

-3.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.14 ¥3,381

26.63%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

0.33%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

3.49%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$138 ¥22.1K

18.47%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.00 ¥4,318

-1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.14 ¥5,460

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.8 ¥9,077

21.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.70 ¥2,191

46.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.31 ¥2,130

-1.88%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$282 ¥45.1K

79.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

15.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.38 ¥6,938

38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$30.04 ¥4,805

34.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$59.1 ¥9,460

9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$465 ¥74.4K

135.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$335 ¥53.5K

78.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$865 ¥138.3K

201.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$660 ¥105.5K

102.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$2,863 ¥457.9K

277.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$1,828 ¥292.4K

172.14%

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 Ube: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $465 in Ube. 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 $34.00 in Ube. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $309 – making Ube 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 Ube: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,262 in Ube – roughly 33% 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 $1,893 in Ube. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ube, 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 $34.00 in Ube. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ube, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Ube 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 $1,262 in Ube 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 Ube. 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.