Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Yamanashi

For one person, living is cheaper in Yamanashi: $1,193 a month against $1,663 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,663
/mo nomad
Yamanashi
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,193
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Yamanashi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tokyo and in Yamanashi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,663 per month in Tokyo vs $1,193 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,663
  • Yamanashi $1,193

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Tokyo vs $1,928 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,592
  • Yamanashi $1,928

A family of three spends $3,521 per month in Tokyo vs $2,663 in Yamanashi, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,521
  • Yamanashi $2,663

Tokyo costs about 39% more than Yamanashi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tokyo sits 23% above the global median, while Yamanashi is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.47 ¥1,180
$8.69 ¥1,373
-14.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.48 ¥5,921
$32.03 ¥5,060
17.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥774
$5.17 ¥817
-5.22%
Cappuccino
$3.62 ¥571
$2.43 ¥384
48.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥262
$1.24 ¥196
33.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥133
$0.81 ¥127
3.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 ¥582
$3.08 ¥486
19.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.24 ¥829
$3.21 ¥507
63.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$0.91 ¥144
63.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 ¥276
$0.79 ¥125
121.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.63 ¥889
$1.29 ¥204
336.43%
Eggs
$2.20 ¥348
$1.61 ¥254
36.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 ¥1,767
$12.72 ¥2,010
-12.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.84 ¥1,081
$5.52 ¥872
23.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.61 ¥2,624
$16.70 ¥2,638
-0.54%
Apples (1kg)
$4.80 ¥759
$5.09 ¥805
-5.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 ¥354
$3.02 ¥477
-25.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 ¥666
$1.94 ¥307
117.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.20 ¥821
$3.57 ¥564
45.66%
Potato (1kg)
$3.29 ¥520
$1.72 ¥271
91.28%
Onion (1kg)
$3.05 ¥481
$2.44 ¥385
25.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ¥188
$1.10 ¥174
8.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥129
$0.72 ¥114
12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.92 ¥619
$3.84 ¥606
2.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.65 ¥1,524
$9.51 ¥1,502
1.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥258
$2.62 ¥413
-37.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ¥426
$2.07 ¥327
30.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 ¥197
$1.49 ¥235
-16.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.9 ¥10.1K
$49.25 ¥7,780
29.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥494
$3.18 ¥502
-1.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.21 ¥507
$2.77 ¥438
15.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.55 ¥2,931
$15.55 ¥2,457
19.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.06 ¥167
-0.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$22.0K ¥3.5M
-2.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.2K ¥2.4M
$14.9K ¥2.4M
1.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 ¥23.5K
$115 ¥18.2K
28.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.59 ¥3,412
$23.26 ¥3,674
-7.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.62 ¥4,837
$30.67 ¥4,846
-0.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.7 ¥10.5K
$51.7 ¥8,174
28.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.58 ¥4,042
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.68 ¥2,004
$11.55 ¥1,825
9.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,350 ¥213.3K
$580 ¥91.6K
132.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K ¥2.8M
$14.7K ¥2.3M
21.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.0 ¥8,853
$50.0 ¥7,904
11.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.14 ¥5,236
$35.45 ¥5,601
-6.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.3 ¥10.2K
$59.8 ¥9,448
7.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.2 ¥11.1K
$95.8 ¥15.1K
-26.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,253 ¥197.9K
$523 ¥82.6K
139.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$700 ¥110.6K
$351 ¥55.5K
99.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,502 ¥395.3K
$1,251 ¥197.6K
100.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 ¥225.9K
$843 ¥133.2K
69.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,428 ¥1.5M
$3,889 ¥614.4K
142.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,236 ¥669.3K
$1,885 ¥297.9K
124.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Yamanashi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,998 ¥473.7K
$4,536 ¥716.6K
-33.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
2.02
11.39%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Yamanashi: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$700
Yamanashi
$351 49.8% $349
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$325
Yamanashi
$273 16% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$201
Yamanashi
$169 15.7% $32
Eating Out
Tokyo
$157
Yamanashi
$144 8% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Yamanashi
$108 7.8% $7.9
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$92
Yamanashi
$75 18.7% $17
Getting Around
Tokyo
$88
Yamanashi
$72 18% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,253 in Tokyo versus $523 in Yamanashi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Yamanashi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo versus $32.00 in Yamanashi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $273 – making Yamanashi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Yamanashi
🕒 Local time
18:17 6:17 PM
18:17 6:17 PM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
34,494
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Yamanashi 97 km
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Yamanashi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yamanashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tokyo and in Yamanashi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,663 in Tokyo, $1,193 in Yamanashi – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tokyo compared to Yamanashi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,495 per month in Tokyo and $1,789 in Yamanashi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tokyo and Yamanashi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yamanashi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Tokyo and $32.00 in Yamanashi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yamanashi, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Tokyo at $1,663. In Yamanashi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tokyo and Yamanashi?
It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,193 in Yamanashi to $1,663 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tokyo or Yamanashi safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tokyo and Yamanashi?
If budget matters most, go with Yamanashi. 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.

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