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Tokyo vs Yufuin cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo
๐ฏ๐ต Yufuin
At a glance
- Where Yufuin is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (70%โ), Haircut (62%โ), Street food (60%โ)
- Where Tokyo is clearly cheaper: Transit (42%โ), Hotel night (20%โ), SIM card (17%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around โ Tokyo 1 vs Yufuin 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Tokyo | Yufuin | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 1,100$7.43 | ยฅ 1,200$8.11 | Tokyo โ8% |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 500$3.38 | ยฅ 200$1.35 | Yufuin โ60% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 4,000$27 | ยฅ 3,000$20.3 | Yufuin โ25% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 600$4.05 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | Yufuin โ17% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 650$4.39 | ยฅ 550$3.72 | Yufuin โ15% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | ยฅ 600$4.05 | Yufuin โ60% |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 130$0.88 | ยฅ 120$0.81 | Yufuin โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 180$1.22 | ยฅ 160$1.08 | Yufuin โ11% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 2,400$16.2 | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | Yufuin โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | similar |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 210$1.42 | ยฅ 360$2.43 | Tokyo โ42% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | ยฅ 1,200$8.11 | Yufuin โ40% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 16,000$108 | ยฅ 20,000$135 | Tokyo โ20% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 150,000$1,014 | ยฅ 45,000$304 | Yufuin โ70% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 800$5.41 | Yufuin โ20% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 3,000$20.3 | Tokyo โ17% |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 4,000$27 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Yufuin โ62% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 5,500$37.2 | ยฅ 5,000$33.8 | Yufuin โ9% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 9,000$60.8 | ยฅ 7,000$47.3 | Yufuin โ22% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | Yufuin โ50% |
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, Tokyo or Yufuin?
Yufuin is 18% cheaper than Tokyo. Daily budget $212 vs $225; a month $3,723 vs $2,124.
Which is easier to travel, Tokyo or Yufuin?
About the same: Tokyo 1.6/5, Yufuin 1.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Tokyo and Yufuin?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Tokyo is about $3,723 and Yufuin about $2,124 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.