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Tokyo vs Warsaw

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Tokyo, JP vs Warsaw, PL at a glance — Warsaw, PL is 33% cheaper than Tokyo, JP overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $1,300/mo. Top income tax: 32% vs 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Warsaw, PL, you'd need

$50,035 / year

Warsaw, PL is 33% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Warsaw, PL vs Tokyo, JP)

  • Housing-41%
  • Food & groceries-33%
  • Transport-39%
  • Utilities-13%
  • Healthcare-24%
  • Goods & services-30%

◎ How Tokyo, JP and Warsaw, PL compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Tokyo, JPWarsaw, PL

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Tokyo, JPWarsaw, PL
Cost of living
Overall cost index10872
Housing12272
Food10570
Transport9055
Utilities115100
Healthcare8565
Goods & services10674
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,300/mo$900/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$900/mo$650/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,800/mo$1,700/mo
Buy price / m² centre$11,000$4,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$926$1,388
Inexpensive meal$8$8
Monthly transit pass$90$30
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%32%
VAT / sales tax10%23%
Corporate tax30%19%
Capital gains20.3%19%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,600/mo$1,200/mo
Minimum wage$1,300/mo$1,297/mo✓
GDP per capita$35,951✓$28,420✓
Inflation (annual)3.2%✓3.8%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyLowModerate
Coworking spaces9050
Time zoneUTC+9UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)8167
Safety index8268
Healthcare index8572
Pollution index4555
Internet speed220 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability9280
Public transport9882
Family-friendly7268
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$40/mo—
Life expectancy84 yr✓78 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateLow
Climate
January avg+6 °C-2 °C
July avg+27 °C+19 °C
Sunny days / year13090
Rainfall / year1,520 mm550 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Japan vs Poland. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Tokyo vs Warsaw — in your currency

TokyoWarsaw
1-bed rent, city centre$1,300$900
1-bed rent, outside centre$900$650
Inexpensive meal$8$8
Monthly transit pass$90$30
Utilities (monthly)$200$200

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Tokyo

Astonishingly safe, clean and well-connected for a megacity — and, thanks to a weak yen, cheaper than most Western capitals right now.

Currency
Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
Languages
Japanese
Time zone
UTC+9
Internet
220 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
82/100
Climate
❄ 6°C · ☀ 27°C · 130 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 100V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Shibuya · Shinjuku · Setagaya

Good to know before you move to Warsaw

Central Europe's fastest-rising business hub — modern, safe and affordable, with cold winters.

Currency
Polish złoty (zł PLN)
Languages
Polish
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ -2°C · ☀ 19°C · 90 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Śródmieście · Praga · Mokotów

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Tokyo to Warsaw: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Tokyo to Warsaw, your cost of living will be roughly 33% cheaper. Warsaw’s cost-of-living index is 72 versus 108 for Tokyo (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Tokyo cheaper than Warsaw?

Warsaw is about 33% cheaper than Tokyo overall — its cost-of-living index is 72 versus 108 for Tokyo.

Which is more expensive, Tokyo or Warsaw?

Tokyo is more expensive than Warsaw. Its cost-of-living index is 108 vs 72 (US = 100) — about 50% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Tokyo or Warsaw?

Rent is cheaper in Warsaw — about $900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,300 in Tokyo.

How much do you need to earn in Warsaw to live like in Tokyo?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Tokyo is worth about $50,035 in Warsaw. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Tokyo or Warsaw?

Poland has the lower top income-tax rate — 32% versus 45% in Japan.

◷ More comparisons from Tokyo

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.