Tokyo vs Kyoto Cost of Living
Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8 — Kyoto (Japan) · Overall index 45.5
Summary
- Overall, Kyoto is 15% cheaper than Tokyo.
- Rent in Kyoto is 33% cheaper than in Tokyo.
- Dining out in Kyoto is 16% cheaper than in Tokyo.
| Item | Tokyo | Kyoto | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -33% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,307 | $792 | -39% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $782 | $629 | -20% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,737 | $1,740 | -36% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,558 | $996 | -36% |
| Groceries | -11% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.87 | $0.9 | +3% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.62 | $2.47 | -6% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.43 | $3.08 | -10% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.26 | $3.16 | -3% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $9.15 | $8.85 | -3% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.77 | $7.61 | -22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.2 | $12.6 | -11% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.74 | $3.24 | -13% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.62 | $1.41 | -13% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3 | $2.92 | -3% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.44 | $3.18 | -28% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.3 | $1.74 | -24% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.06 | $1.74 | -16% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.69 | $1.64 | -3% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.8 | $1.67 | -7% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.4 | $10.7 | -6% |
| Transport | -12% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.65 | $1.45 | -12% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $75.4 | $67.2 | -11% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.32 | $2.35 | +1% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.23 | $0.95 | -23% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.58 | $0.54 | -7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $18,186 | $14,524 | -20% |
| Dining out | -16% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.8 | $12.3 | -11% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $70.3 | $68.9 | -2% |
| Fast food combo meal | $7.88 | $6.43 | -18% |
| Cappuccino | $3.87 | $2.74 | -29% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.65 | $1.43 | -13% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.95 | $4.48 | -9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $5.82 | $4.19 | -28% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.35 | $1.17 | -13% |
| Telecom | -8% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $41.5 | $43.6 | +5% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $52.1 | $49.4 | -5% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.26 | $0.23 | -12% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.7 | $10.3 | -19% |
| Utilities & household | -11% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $126 | $99.2 | -21% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.15 | $0.13 | -13% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.07 | $3.13 | +2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.05 | $0.88 | -16% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $16.3 | $14.2 | -13% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $62.2 | $47.7 | -23% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.79 | $9.91 | +1% |
| Men's haircut | $23.3 | $18.2 | -22% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $18.8 | $17.6 | -6% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,434 | $1,441 | 0% |
2,941 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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