Tokyo Cost of Living 2026
Japan · Big city — about the US average. Updated September 2026 Not just the exchange rate: how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price turns into a rip-off.
Tokyo price table & rip-off thresholds
| Item | Base price | Normal range | Rip-off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ¥1,000$6.76 | ¥700 – ¥1,600 | ¥1,920+ |
| Street food1 item | ¥450$3.04 | ¥270 – ¥810 | ¥972+ |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ¥3,500$23.6 | ¥2,450 – ¥5,600 | ¥6,720+ |
| Bakery & dessert1 item | ¥500$3.38 | ¥300 – ¥900 | ¥1,080+ |
| Coffeeone cup | ¥550$3.72 | ¥330 – ¥880 | ¥1,056+ |
| Fruit juiceone cup | ¥590$3.99 | ¥354 – ¥1,062 | ¥1,274+ |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ¥300$2.03 | ¥180 – ¥570 | ¥684+ |
| Bottled water | ¥120$0.81 | ¥84 – ¥240 | ¥288+ |
| Beerone bottle | ¥600$4.05 | ¥360 – ¥1,020 | ¥1,224+ |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ¥1,600$10.8 | ¥960 – ¥2,720 | ¥3,264+ |
| Taxi5 km in town | ¥2,500$16.9 | ¥2,000 – ¥4,000 | ¥4,800+ |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ¥1,500$10.1 | ¥1,050 – ¥2,700 | ¥3,240+ |
| Transitone ride | ¥210$1.42 | ¥189 – ¥273 | ¥328+ |
| Scooter rentalper day | ¥4,400$29.7 | ¥3,080 – ¥7,040 | ¥8,448+ |
| Hotel night3-star | ¥15,000$101 | ¥9,000 – ¥24,000 | ¥28,800+ |
| Laundry | ¥740$5 | ¥518 – ¥1,184 | ¥1,421+ |
| SIM card1 week data | ¥3,000$20.3 | ¥2,100 – ¥5,100 | ¥6,120+ |
| Haircutcut | ¥3,100$20.9 | ¥1,860 – ¥5,580 | ¥6,696+ |
| Massage1 hour | ¥8,900$60.1 | ¥6,230 – ¥14,240 | ¥17,088+ |
| Half-day tourper person | ¥10,000$67.6 | ¥7,000 – ¥16,000 | ¥19,200+ |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ¥1,800$12.2 | ¥1,440 – ¥2,520 | ¥3,024+ |
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in what travelers actually paid. Rate ¥148 per USD, for reference.
Live prices reported in Tokyo
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FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Tokyo for a month?
A short-term studio rental (about $2,297) plus food, coffee, transport and a SIM (about $1,370) comes to roughly $3,667 a month. A local long-term lease (studio ¥150,000) brings it down a lot.
What is a realistic daily budget for Tokyo?
A mid-range room (about $104 a night) plus three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides is about $201 a day. Hostels and local eateries bring it well under that.
How do I know if a taxi in Tokyo is overcharging?
For 5 km in the city, expect ¥2,000 – ¥4,000. Anything above ¥4,800 is suspicious. The app's Price Check lets you pick the distance and gives a verdict in seconds.
How much is a coffee or a local meal in Tokyo?
Coffee about ¥550 ($3.72), a local meal about ¥1,000 ($6.76), dinner at a mid-range restaurant about ¥3,500.