Beijing vs Tokyo Cost of Living
Beijing (China) · Overall index 43.4 — Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8
Summary
- Overall, Tokyo is 24% more expensive than Beijing.
- Transport in Tokyo is 30% more expensive than in Beijing.
- Utilities & household in Tokyo is 27% more expensive than in Beijing.
| Item | Beijing | Tokyo | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +18% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,210 | $1,307 | +8% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $654 | $782 | +20% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,286 | $2,737 | +20% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,225 | $1,558 | +27% |
| Groceries | +26% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.75 | $0.87 | +16% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.35 | $2.62 | +11% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.05 | $3.43 | +12% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.51 | $3.26 | +30% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.18 | $9.15 | +27% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.51 | $9.77 | +50% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.2 | $14.2 | +39% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.16 | $3.74 | +18% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.08 | $1.62 | +50% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.56 | $3 | +17% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.81 | $4.44 | +58% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.88 | $2.3 | +22% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.54 | $2.06 | +34% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.5 | $1.69 | +13% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.52 | $1.8 | +18% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.64 | $11.4 | +18% |
| Transport | +30% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.16 | $1.65 | +42% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $59.6 | $75.4 | +27% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.93 | $2.32 | +20% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.86 | $1.23 | +43% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.47 | $0.58 | +23% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,148 | $18,186 | +29% |
| Dining out | +24% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.9 | $13.8 | +7% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $63.4 | $70.3 | +11% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.18 | $7.88 | +28% |
| Cappuccino | $2.85 | $3.87 | +36% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.38 | $1.65 | +20% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.1 | $4.95 | +21% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.8 | $5.82 | +53% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.15 | $1.35 | +17% |
| Telecom | +21% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $41.6 | $41.5 | 0% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $39.8 | $52.1 | +31% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.26 | +24% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $9.77 | $12.7 | +30% |
| Utilities & household | +27% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $91.2 | $126 | +38% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.15 | +7% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.62 | $3.07 | +17% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.86 | $1.05 | +22% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $11.8 | $16.3 | +38% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $45 | $62.2 | +38% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.83 | $9.79 | +25% |
| Men's haircut | $17.1 | $23.3 | +36% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $13.8 | $18.8 | +36% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,236 | $1,434 | +16% |
2,992 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs