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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Tokyo vs $1,245 in Ube, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Tokyo vs $1,932 in Ube, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Tokyo vs $2,620 in Ube, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 34% more than Ube, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 22% above the global median, while Ube is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 ¥1,189

$7.11 ¥1,115

6.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.00 ¥6,117

$34.40 ¥5,395

13.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥805

$5.47 ¥858

-6.22%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥589

$3.10 ¥487

21.29%

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

$1.67 ¥262

$1.13 ¥178

47.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥140

$0.81 ¥127

9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 ¥628

$2.11 ¥331

90.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥831

$3.20 ¥501

65.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥242

$1.59 ¥250

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥251

$1.58 ¥248

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.85 ¥918

$4.64 ¥728

26.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥354

$2.27 ¥355

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ¥1,676

$10.17 ¥1,596

5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ¥1,196

$6.22 ¥975

22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥2,982

$15.72 ¥2,465

20.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ¥775

$5.43 ¥851

-9.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥371

$2.64 ¥415

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 ¥681

$4.14 ¥649

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 ¥863

$4.49 ¥704

22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥529

$3.18 ¥499

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 ¥499

$2.69 ¥423

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ¥187

$1.37 ¥215

-13.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥135

$0.82 ¥129

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥625

$4.09 ¥642

-2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 ¥1,556

$6.63 ¥1,041

49.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥278

$1.98 ¥311

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥446

$2.32 ¥364

22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ¥200

$1.64 ¥257

-22.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 ¥11.4K

$55.1 ¥8,636

31.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥502

$3.43 ¥539

-6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 ¥516

$2.97 ¥465

10.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.15 ¥3,004

$20.86 ¥3,272

-8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.18 ¥185

-7.63%

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

$22.2K ¥3.5M

$22.9K ¥3.6M

-3.06%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-8.79%

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

$158 ¥24.7K

$142 ¥22.2K

11.26%

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

$22.59 ¥3,544

$26.74 ¥4,194

-15.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,896

$34.18 ¥5,362

-8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$58.9 ¥9,236

10.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.99 ¥4,076

$13.82 ¥2,167

88.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,046

$13.00 ¥2,040

0.31%

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

$1,395 ¥218.8K

$276 ¥43.4K

404.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ¥2.9M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

37.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥8,491

$43.78 ¥6,868

23.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 ¥5,295

$29.07 ¥4,560

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥10.2K

$61.2 ¥9,601

6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 ¥11.4K

$92.6 ¥14.5K

-21.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ¥200.6K

$471 ¥73.9K

171.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ¥108.2K

$328 ¥51.4K

110.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 ¥390.2K

$859 ¥134.8K

189.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 ¥222.9K

$647 ¥101.5K

119.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,219 ¥1.4M

$2,798 ¥438.8K

229.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,492 ¥704.5K

$1,801 ¥282.5K

149.38%

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 Ube: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,279 in Tokyo versus $471 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Ube. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $308 – 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: $1,665 in Tokyo, $1,245 in Ube – roughly 34% 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 $1,867 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 11% 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 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 $1,245, than in Tokyo at $1,665. 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 $1,245 in Ube 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 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.