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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Tokyo vs $1,181 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,641 per month in Tokyo vs $1,829 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,589 per month in Tokyo vs $2,478 in Yamaguchi, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 43% more than Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tokyo sits 23% above the global median, while Yamaguchi is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.83 ¥1,202

$3.87 ¥594

102.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.04 ¥5,995

$32.66 ¥5,015

19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 ¥809

$5.17 ¥794

1.93%

Cappuccino

$3.71 ¥569

$3.34 ¥513

11.08%

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

$1.74 ¥268

$1.06 ¥164

64.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥138

$0.67 ¥103

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 ¥609

$3.95 ¥606

0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 ¥810

$2.21 ¥339

138.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥248

$1.65 ¥253

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥274

$1.96 ¥301

-8.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 ¥885

$6.91 ¥1,060

-16.64%

Eggs

$2.25 ¥345

$2.22 ¥342

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 ¥1,696

$18.30 ¥2,810

-39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 ¥1,189

$5.64 ¥866

37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 ¥3,117

$19.30 ¥2,963

5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 ¥819

$3.63 ¥557

46.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 ¥382

$1.86 ¥286

33.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ¥724

$2.99 ¥459

57.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.78 ¥888

$3.38 ¥519

71.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 ¥554

$2.21 ¥340

63.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥521

$2.58 ¥396

31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ¥195

$1.07 ¥164

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥123

$0.93 ¥143

-13.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥633

$4.14 ¥635

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ¥1,513

$6.44 ¥989

52.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥278

$1.71 ¥263

5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥486

$1.90 ¥291

66.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 ¥198

$1.47 ¥226

-12.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 ¥11.1K

$61.9 ¥9,500

16.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ¥487

$4.12 ¥633

-23.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 ¥488

$2.09 ¥321

52.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 ¥2,950

$18.38 ¥2,823

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥174

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

$22.2K ¥3.4M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

0.68%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$18.0K ¥2.8M

-13.32%

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

$162 ¥24.8K

$190 ¥29.1K

-14.70%

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

$22.42 ¥3,443

$25.04 ¥3,845

-10.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 ¥4,659

$33.96 ¥5,215

-10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ¥9,958

$48.10 ¥7,385

34.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.93 ¥4,135

Cinema Ticket

$13.04 ¥2,003

$11.28 ¥1,732

15.60%

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

$1,347 ¥206.9K

$130 ¥20.0K

936.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K ¥2.9M

$12.5K ¥1.9M

48.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 ¥8,137

$38.96 ¥5,983

36.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 ¥5,100

$24.04 ¥3,692

38.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 ¥9,782

$60.9 ¥9,353

4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ¥11.2K

$49.32 ¥7,573

48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ¥198.1K

$429 ¥65.8K

200.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 ¥105.5K

$262 ¥40.2K

162.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,550 ¥391.5K

$802 ¥123.2K

217.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 ¥210.9K

$574 ¥88.1K

139.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,017 ¥1.4M

$4,646 ¥713.4K

94.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,353 ¥668.4K

$1,992 ¥305.9K

118.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,959 ¥454.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.94

1.85

4.86%

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

Last update for Tokyo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,290 in Tokyo versus $429 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 $39.00 in Tokyo versus $33.00 in Yamaguchi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $324 – 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: $1,692 in Tokyo, $1,181 in Yamaguchi – roughly 43% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Tokyo and $1,771 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 10% 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 $33.00 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 $1,181, than in Tokyo at $1,692. 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 $1,181 in Yamaguchi to $1,692 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.