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Chicago vs Tokyo cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Chicago
๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo
At a glance
- Where Tokyo is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (76%โ), Entry ticket (59%โ), Street food (58%โ)
- Where Chicago is clearly cheaper: Laundry (41%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Chicago is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: language โ Chicago 1 vs Tokyo 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Chicago | Tokyo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 17$17 | ยฅ 1,100$7.43 | Tokyo โ56% |
| Street food1 item | $ 8$8 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | Tokyo โ58% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 42$42 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Tokyo โ36% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | ยฅ 600$4.05 | Tokyo โ26% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 7.5$7.5 | ยฅ 650$4.39 | Tokyo โ41% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 15$15 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Tokyo โ32% |
| Bottled water | $ 1.8$1.8 | ยฅ 130$0.88 | Tokyo โ51% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 2.7$2.7 | ยฅ 180$1.22 | Tokyo โ55% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 17$17 | ยฅ 2,400$16.2 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Tokyo โ32% |
| Transitone ride | $ 2.75$2.75 | ยฅ 210$1.42 | Tokyo โ48% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 57$57 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Tokyo โ76% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 180$180 | ยฅ 16,000$108 | Tokyo โ40% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 1,950$1,950 | ยฅ 150,000$1,014 | Tokyo โ48% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Chicago โ41% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 30$30 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | Tokyo โ44% |
| Haircutcut | $ 35$35 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Tokyo โ23% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 85$85 | ยฅ 5,500$37.2 | Tokyo โ56% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 60$60 | ยฅ 9,000$60.8 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 33$33 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Tokyo โ59% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Chicago or Tokyo?
Tokyo is 41% cheaper than Chicago. Daily budget $334 vs $212; a month $6,737 vs $3,723.
Which is easier to travel, Chicago or Tokyo?
Chicago is easier: Chicago 1.4/5 vs Tokyo 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Chicago and Tokyo?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chicago is about $6,737 and Tokyo about $3,723 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.