Cost of Living · GB vs JP
🇬🇧 London vs 🇯🇵 Tokyo: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $2,037 in United Kingdom vs $1,435 in Japan — 29.52% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Japan
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -32.83%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -32.83%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -32.83%
Closest to United Kingdom prices
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -10.75%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -10.75%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -10.82%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | United Kingdom | Japan | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,447 | $972 (145,456 JPY) | -32.83% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,158 | $778 (116,364 JPY) | -32.83% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,646 | $1,777 (265,975 JPY) | -32.83% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.50 | $11.34 (1,697 JPY) | -26.84% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $64.59 | $47.25 (7,071 JPY) | -26.85% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $9.60 | $7.23 (1,082 JPY) | -24.69% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.99 | $0.79 (118 JPY) | -20.2% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.87 | $2.29 (343 JPY) | -20.21% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $3.05 | $2.43 (364 JPY) | -20.33% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.97 | $7.15 (1,070 JPY) | -20.29% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.59 | $2.86 (428 JPY) | -20.33% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $4.31 | $3.43 (513 JPY) | -20.42% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $10.76 | $8.57 (1,283 JPY) | -20.35% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.79 | $1.43 (214 JPY) | -20.11% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $5.17 | $3.78 (566 JPY) | -26.89% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.58 | $6.76 (1,012 JPY) | -10.82% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $4.31 | $3.15 (471 JPY) | -26.91% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $2.06 | $1.64 (245 JPY) | -20.39% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $56.75 | $42.71 (6,392 JPY) | -24.74% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.40 | $1.81 (271 JPY) | -24.58% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.44 | $2.52 (377 JPY) | -26.74% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.55 | $1.13 (169 JPY) | -27.1% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.90 | $0.80 (120 JPY) | -11.11% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $175 | $131 (19,665 JPY) | -24.74% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $61.11 | $45.99 (6,883 JPY) | -24.74% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $39.28 | $29.57 (4,425 JPY) | -24.72% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $43.06 | $31.50 (4,714 JPY) | -26.85% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $12.06 | $8.82 (1,320 JPY) | -26.87% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $25.84 | $18.90 (2,829 JPY) | -26.86% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $52.09 | $46.49 (6,958 JPY) | -10.75% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $85.24 | $76.08 (11,386 JPY) | -10.75% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $215 | $157 (23,570 JPY) | -26.85% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Japan than United Kingdom?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,435 in Japan versus $2,037 in United Kingdom — 29.52% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Japan?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $3.78 in Japan (≈ 565.71 JPY), versus about $5.17 in United Kingdom.
- How much is rent in Japan compared to United Kingdom?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $972/month in Japan versus $1,447/month in United Kingdom (-32.83%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.