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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,219 in Ube, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,916 in Ube, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,613 in Ube, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 40% more than Ube, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Ube is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.77 ¥1,100

19.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.69 ¥5,636

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.66 ¥920

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.17 ¥516

13.56%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.08 ¥176

17.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.82 ¥132

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.09 ¥340

95.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.07 ¥499

77.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.52 ¥247

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.61 ¥261

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.81 ¥782

11.02%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.23 ¥363

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.02 ¥1,628

59.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.34 ¥1,030

28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.45 ¥2,511

45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.53 ¥898

-0.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.64 ¥428

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$3.95 ¥642

49.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.53 ¥736

34.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.29 ¥534

-1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.65 ¥431

27.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.33 ¥216

9.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.83 ¥135

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.13 ¥671

2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$6.68 ¥1,085

39.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.94 ¥315

5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.32 ¥376

23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.59 ¥258

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$54.8 ¥8,903

54.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.52 ¥572

-3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.99 ¥486

-2.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$20.68 ¥3,360

26.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.18 ¥192

1.69%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.03%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

2.36%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$141 ¥22.9K

18.88%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.30 ¥4,436

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$33.92 ¥5,512

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$57.6 ¥9,358

23.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.61 ¥2,211

48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.42 ¥2,180

-2.61%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$283 ¥46.0K

74.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

16.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.95 ¥7,140

40.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.09 ¥4,726

43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$61.1 ¥9,925

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$90.5 ¥14.7K

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$465 ¥75.5K

141.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$328 ¥53.3K

85.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$863 ¥140.3K

210.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$655 ¥106.4K

104.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,756 ¥447.7K

275.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,119 ¥344.2K

135.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ube: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Ube. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,219 in Ube – roughly 40% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,829 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 $49.00 in Tokyo and $35.00 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 $1,219, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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 $1,219 in Ube to $1,701 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.