Japan
Japan's spiritual heart, filled with over 2,000 temples and shrines, serene bamboo groves, and exquisite kaiseki cuisine. A living museum of traditional Japanese culture.
#134 of 250
26% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 1 082
Based on NYC = 100 index
Kyoto is the 134. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 1 082 for one adult.
Most of that goes on basic grocery basket, which runs 65% above the median city and adds $ 95 a month: chicken breast (1kg) $ 10, pork (1kg) $ 12.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is housing, 61% below the median: 1br apartment (city center) $ 436, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 373. You also get off lightly on restaurants, healthcare.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
42 prices on this page come from live scrapers (13 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Kyoto, Japan. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/kyoto. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 435.87 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 372.70 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,073.89 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 473.77 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 10.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Pork (1kg) | 11.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Beef (1kg) | 51.48 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 18.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 14.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.64 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.42 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Cheese (1kg) | 15.67 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Butter (200g) | 3.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Eggs (12) | 2.38 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Bread (500g) | 1.74 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.94 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Rice (1kg) | 5.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 3.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 5.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 6.57 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Carrots (1kg) | 3.15 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Onions (1kg) | 2.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Apples (1kg) | 7.86 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Banana (1kg) | 2.41 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Oranges (1kg) | 4.98 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Flour (1kg) | 2.19 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.69 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.21 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.59 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| One-way Ticket | 1.45 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Taxi Start | 3.16 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 2.48 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.09 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | National fuel price sources |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 44.53 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 18.76 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 22.24 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 60.31 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Asia Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 13.27 / ticket | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices (Asia-Pacific), Asia Entertainment Chains |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 2.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 31.52 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 18.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 111.18 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Nike.com (live) |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 404
per month
$ 241
per month
$ 147
per month
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per month
$ 86
per month
$ 105
per month
$ 11
per month
$ 24
per month