Cost of Living in Tsu, Japan (2026-09)
Overview
Tsu is a prefectural capital in the Tokai region of Japan. Population about 270,000. The latest overall CPI (2026-09) stands at 113.1 on a 2020 = 100 base, +1.7% year on year and +13.2% over the past 5 years. Prices have risen less than the national index (114.5) since 2020. Comparing actual prices of 24 everyday items, Tsu is -5.8% versus the national average, #2 cheapest of the 52 cities tracked here.
What to know
Tokai region · prefectural capital (e-Stat area code 24A01)
Overall 113.1 · YoY +1.7% · 5y +13.2% · everyday prices #2 cheapest of 52
Open the calculator to estimate a monthly budget for this city in your home currency.
Since 2020, prices have risen most for food (130.6) and culture & recreation (122.1) and least for education (84.0) and housing (99.7) (index, 2020 = 100). The latest +1.7% year-on-year reading is cooling relative to the +2.6% annual average of the past 5 years. Because category weights such as housing and food shape what living here actually feels like, use the chart and table below to follow the trajectory.
Prices of everyday items in Tsu
In Tsu, 17 of 24 everyday items cost less than the national average. Notably cheaper: Onion (-32.1%), Cabbage (-24.5%), Pork (domestic) (-18.6%). Pricier: Cup noodles (+12.4%), Ramen (dining out) (+10.5%), Bread (loaf) (+6.0%).
| Item | Price in Tsu | vs national average | Rank (cheapest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice (standard) | ¥3,758per pack | +2.3% | 33 / 52 |
| Bread (loaf) | ¥582per kg | +6.0% | 33 / 52 |
| Eggs (chicken) | ¥321per pack | +1.4% | 25 / 52 |
| Milk | ¥265per unit | -0.5% | 24 / 52 |
| Chicken | ¥160per 100 g | +0.1% | 30 / 52 |
| Pork (domestic) | ¥249per 100 g | -18.6% | 1 / 52 |
| Beef (domestic) | ¥904per 100 g | -1.9% | 25 / 52 |
| Cabbage | ¥146per kg | -24.5% | 2 / 52 |
| Onion | ¥220per kg | -32.1% | 1 / 52 |
| Potato | ¥390per kg | -17.5% | 3 / 52 |
| Tomato | ¥883per kg | -5.0% | 14 / 52 |
| Banana | ¥329per kg | -11.8% | 4 / 52 |
| Tofu | ¥245per kg | -18.5% | 11 / 52 |
| Cup noodles | ¥213per piece | +12.4% | 45 / 52 |
| Beer | ¥1,185per pack | +1.4% | 36 / 52 |
| Ramen (dining out) | ¥829per serving | +10.5% | 40 / 52 |
| Curry rice (dining out) | ¥784per plate | -6.6% | 13 / 52 |
| Hamburger (fast food) | ¥263per piece | -5.4% | 7 / 47 |
| Coffee (cafe, standard) | ¥347per serving | -4.4% | 8 / 47 |
| Toilet paper | ¥962per 1,000 m | -2.1% | 18 / 52 |
| Laundry detergent | ¥546per kg | -7.6% | 6 / 52 |
| Dry cleaning (standard) | ¥1,617per garment | -3.5% | 25 / 52 |
| Gasoline | ¥171per L | -0.8% | 19 / 52 |
| Haircut fee | ¥3,830per visit | -13.7% | 7 / 47 |
Average retail prices for 2026-09 from the Statistics Bureau's Retail Price Survey. The national average is a simple average of the surveyed cities, not a weighted one; ranks compare the cities covered on this site. Browse all item prices →
5-year price trend
Latest CPI by category (2020 = 100)
| Category | CPI (2026-09) |
|---|---|
| Food | 130.6 |
| Housing | 99.7 |
| Utilities (fuel & water) | 114.6 |
| Furniture & household | 121.4 |
| Clothing & footwear | 121.0 |
| Medical care | 108.6 |
| Transport & communication | 103.5 |
| Education | 84.0 |
| Culture & recreation | 122.1 |
| Miscellaneous | 107.8 |
Calculate your monthly cost in Tsu
Compare the cost of living in Tsu with local pay
Average salary in the prefecture around Tsu, by age, gender and company sizejpsalary / MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure