Popular cities
Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo
At a glance
- Where Tokyo is clearly cheaper: Street food (72%โ), Local meal (66%โ), Scooter rental (61%โ)
- Where Philadelphia is clearly cheaper: Laundry (41%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Philadelphia is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: language โ Philadelphia 1 vs Tokyo 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Philadelphia | Tokyo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 22$22 | ยฅ 1,100$7.43 | Tokyo โ66% |
| Street food1 item | $ 12$12 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | Tokyo โ72% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 42$42 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Tokyo โ36% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.1$5.1 | ยฅ 600$4.05 | Tokyo โ21% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 6.5$6.5 | ยฅ 650$4.39 | Tokyo โ32% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 14$14 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Tokyo โ28% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | ยฅ 130$0.88 | Tokyo โ56% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 2.8$2.8 | ยฅ 180$1.22 | Tokyo โ57% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 15$15 | ยฅ 2,400$16.2 | Philadelphia โ8% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 9$9 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Tokyo โ25% |
| Transitone ride | $ 2.9$2.9 | ยฅ 210$1.42 | Tokyo โ51% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Tokyo โ61% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 175$175 | ยฅ 16,000$108 | Tokyo โ38% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 1,550$1,550 | ยฅ 150,000$1,014 | Tokyo โ35% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Philadelphia โ41% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 25$25 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | Tokyo โ32% |
| Haircutcut | $ 33$33 | ยฅ 4,000$27 | Tokyo โ18% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 90$90 | ยฅ 5,500$37.2 | Tokyo โ59% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 55$55 | ยฅ 9,000$60.8 | Philadelphia โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 30$30 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Tokyo โ55% |
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, Philadelphia or Tokyo?
Tokyo is 37% cheaper than Philadelphia. Daily budget $336 vs $212; a month $6,015 vs $3,723.
Which is easier to travel, Philadelphia or Tokyo?
Philadelphia is easier: Philadelphia 1.4/5 vs Tokyo 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Philadelphia and Tokyo?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Philadelphia is about $6,015 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.