Popular cities
Japan Cost of Living 2026
🇯🇵 24 cities in Japan, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate — how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Japan compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 BeppuTourist · small town | $145 | $1,919 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 KumamotoTourist · mid-size | $150 | $2,191 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 MiyazakiResort · mid-size | $154 | $2,226 | ¥1,000 | ¥450 |
| 🇯🇵 HiroshimaTourist big city | $154 | $2,510 | ¥1,000 | ¥480 |
| 🇯🇵 TakamatsuTourist · mid-size | $154 | $2,334 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 SendaiBig city | $156 | $2,271 | ¥1,000 | ¥520 |
| 🇯🇵 KanazawaTourist · mid-size | $158 | $2,207 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 KitakyushuMid-size city | $159 | $1,979 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 MatsuyamaTourist · mid-size | $160 | $2,225 | ¥1,000 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 KagoshimaTourist · mid-size | $161 | $2,406 | ¥1,000 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 NagoyaBig city | $167 | $2,296 | ¥1,000 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 OkinawaResort | $168 | $2,482 | ¥1,000 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 KobeBig city · coast | $169 | $2,296 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 NagasakiTourist · mid-size | $176 | $2,331 | ¥1,000 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 FukuokaBig city | $177 | $2,323 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 HakodateTourist · mid-size | $181 | $2,297 | ¥1,100 | ¥550 |
| 🇯🇵 OsakaBig city | $181 | $2,585 | ¥1,000 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 KyotoMid-size city | $184 | $2,665 | ¥1,100 | ¥600 |
| 🇯🇵 NaraTourist · mid-size | $186 | $2,682 | ¥1,100 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 SapporoBig city | $186 | $2,154 | ¥1,000 | ¥520 |
| 🇯🇵 TakayamaTourist · small town | $210 | $2,573 | ¥1,200 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 TokyoBig city | $212 | $3,723 | ¥1,100 | ¥600 |
| 🇯🇵 YufuinTourist · small town | $225 | $2,124 | ¥1,200 | ¥500 |
| 🇯🇵 HakoneTourist · small town | $270 | $2,504 | ¥1,200 | ¥550 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Japan
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Beppu | ¥550 | ¥2,000 | ¥9,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Kumamoto | ¥550 | ¥1,900 | ¥10,000 | ¥4,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Miyazaki | ¥500 | ¥2,100 | ¥10,000 | ¥5,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Hiroshima | ¥550 | ¥2,100 | ¥10,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Takamatsu | ¥550 | ¥2,100 | ¥10,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Sendai | ¥600 | ¥2,200 | ¥10,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Kanazawa | ¥550 | ¥2,100 | ¥10,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Kitakyushu | ¥550 | ¥2,000 | ¥11,000 | ¥4,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Matsuyama | ¥600 | ¥2,000 | ¥11,000 | ¥4,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Kagoshima | ¥600 | ¥2,100 | ¥11,000 | ¥4,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Nagoya | ¥600 | ¥2,400 | ¥11,000 | ¥6,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Okinawa | ¥600 | ¥1,700 | ¥13,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Kobe | ¥550 | ¥2,300 | ¥11,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Nagasaki | ¥600 | ¥2,300 | ¥12,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Fukuoka | ¥580 | ¥2,000 | ¥13,000 | ¥4,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Hakodate | ¥600 | ¥2,200 | ¥12,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Osaka | ¥550 | ¥2,200 | ¥13,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Kyoto | ¥600 | ¥2,200 | ¥13,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Nara | ¥600 | ¥2,400 | ¥13,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Sapporo | ¥550 | ¥2,100 | ¥14,000 | ¥6,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Takayama | ¥600 | ¥2,600 | ¥15,000 | ¥6,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Tokyo | ¥650 | ¥2,400 | ¥16,000 | ¥5,500 |
| 🇯🇵 Yufuin | ¥550 | ¥2,000 | ¥20,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 🇯🇵 Hakone | ¥650 | ¥2,300 | ¥25,000 | ¥6,000 |
Japan vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇲🇳 Mongolia | $112 | $1,925 | -37% |
| 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | $125 | $1,924 | -29% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $127 | $1,948 | -28% |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | $136 | $1,771 | -23% |
| 🇲🇻 Maldives | $158 | $2,919 | -11% |
| 🇲🇴 Macau | $173 | $4,196 | -2% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $177 | $2,387 | this country |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | $225 | $6,135 | +27% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Tokyo vs New York: item by item
| Item | Tokyo | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | ¥1,100≈ $7.43 | $20 | -63% |
| Coffee | ¥600≈ $4.05 | $6 | -32% |
| Beer | ¥650≈ $4.39 | $9 | -51% |
| 5 km taxi | ¥2,400≈ $16.2 | $23 | -29% |
| Hotel night | ¥16,000≈ $108 | $270 | -60% |
| 1-bed rent | ¥150,000≈ $1,014 | $3,300 | -69% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Tokyo $212 vs New York $467 — about 55% cheaper.
Compare Japan with other cities
Money tips for Japan
Paying
Cards and IC transit cards work almost everywhere, but small restaurants and ramen shops may be cash-only.
Tipping
No tipping; offering one can cause confusion.
Menu prices
Displayed prices include tax. Izakayas may add a table charge (otoshi).
Getting around
Use an IC card (Suica etc.) for trains and buses. Taxis are pricey; save them for after the last train.
Haggling
No haggling.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink.
Common rip-offs
Rare. Don't follow touts in nightlife districts; their bars can hit you with huge bills.
Japan travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Kobe | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Nagoya | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Tokyo | Easy 1.6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Beppu | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Hakone | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Hiroshima | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kanazawa | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kyoto | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Nagasaki | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Nara | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Osaka | Easy 1.8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Sendai | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Takayama | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Yufuin | Easy 1.8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kagoshima | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kitakyushu | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kumamoto | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Matsuyama | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Okinawa | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Sapporo | Easy 2.0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Takamatsu | Easy 2.0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Hakodate | Moderate 2.2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Miyazaki | Moderate 2.2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1–5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking ›
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Japan?
With a mid-range room, between $145 and $270 a day depending on the city — about $177 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Japan cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $1,919–$3,723 by city, about $2,387 on average.
Which city in Japan is cheapest?
By daily budget, Beppu ($145/day) is the cheapest and Hakone ($270/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Japan?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Mongolia runs about $112 a day — 37% less than Japan (about $177).
Is Japan cheaper than New York?
In Tokyo, a traveler's day runs about $212 versus $467 in New York — roughly 55% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.