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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,287 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,972 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,657 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 32% more than Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Yamaguchi is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$4.27 ¥694

89.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.37 ¥5,584

41.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.56 ¥904

-1.44%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.18 ¥517

13.21%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.04 ¥169

22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.76 ¥123

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.65 ¥430

53.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$4.94 ¥803

10.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.68 ¥272

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.67 ¥271

-9.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.18 ¥680

27.75%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.57 ¥418

-9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.18 ¥1,654

56.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.00 ¥975

35.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$21.05 ¥3,420

7.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.17 ¥515

74.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.40 ¥228

85.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$1.41 ¥229

319.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$5.80 ¥942

4.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.80 ¥455

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.25 ¥528

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$0.98 ¥160

47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.75 ¥123

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.92 ¥637

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$6.34 ¥1,030

46.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.99 ¥323

3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.14 ¥348

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.67 ¥272

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.3 ¥8,985

53.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.67 ¥759

-27.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$19.33 ¥3,141

35.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

0.72%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-15.35%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$216 ¥35.1K

-22.33%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.09 ¥4,401

-4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$35.57 ¥5,780

-5.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$54.8 ¥8,898

29.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$14.05 ¥2,283

44.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.68 ¥2,222

-4.46%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$422 ¥68.5K

17.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

15.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$43.18 ¥7,016

42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.49 ¥4,792

41.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$59.7 ¥9,701

52.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$477 ¥77.5K

134.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$334 ¥54.3K

81.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$882 ¥143.3K

203.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$652 ¥106.0K

105.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,333 ¥704.0K

138.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,945 ¥316.0K

156.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $477 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 $49.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Yamaguchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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: $1,701 in Tokyo, $1,287 in Yamaguchi – roughly 32% 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 $1,930 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 29% 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 $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 $1,287, than in Tokyo at $1,701. 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 $1,287 in Yamaguchi 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 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.