Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Yamaguchi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Yamaguchi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,254 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,945 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,636 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$4.14 ¥662

95.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.31 ¥5,487

40.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.62 ¥899

1.25%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.02 ¥483

18.21%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.09 ¥174

15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.77 ¥124

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.63 ¥420

61.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.95 ¥792

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.67 ¥266

-5.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.66 ¥265

-4.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.09 ¥654

30.07%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.50 ¥399

-3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.07 ¥1,610

59.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.28 ¥1,004

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$21.02 ¥3,362

10.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.09 ¥494

69.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.43 ¥229

79.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$1.36 ¥218

321.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.94 ¥950

0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.71 ¥433

18.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.20 ¥512

9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$0.99 ¥158

49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.76 ¥122

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.86 ¥617

10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.40 ¥1,024

46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.01 ¥322

6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.06 ¥330

39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥257

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.9 ¥8,786

54.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.54 ¥726

-23.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.96 ¥473

-3.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$19.25 ¥3,079

39.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.18 ¥190

3.39%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.68%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$19.8K ¥3.2M

-12.12%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$221 ¥35.4K

-26.02%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.72 ¥4,433

-3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$35.15 ¥5,622

-3.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.7 ¥9,062

21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.66 ¥2,185

47.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$14.08 ¥2,252

-7.24%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$418 ¥66.8K

21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

15.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$43.43 ¥6,947

38.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.04 ¥4,645

38.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$66.1 ¥10.6K

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$59.7 ¥9,545

52.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$464 ¥74.2K

135.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$333 ¥53.3K

78.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$867 ¥138.7K

201.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$659 ¥105.4K

103.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,679 ¥748.4K

130.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,266 ¥362.4K

119.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.67

2.99%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $464 in Yamaguchi. 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 Yamaguchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $298 – making Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,254 in Yamaguchi – roughly 34% 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 $1,880 in Yamaguchi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yamaguchi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Yamaguchi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamaguchi, where all-in costs run around $1,254, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Yamaguchi 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 $1,254 in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi. 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.