Tokyo Rent Report 2026: Median Rent by Ward

How much does it really cost to rent in Tokyo? Most guides give vague ranges. This report answers with data: the median monthly rent in each of Tokyo's 23 wards, by apartment layout, computed from 528,660 real active listings in 2026.

Quick answer: In 2026, a 1K studio in Tokyo runs from a median of ¥74,000 in Edogawa (the cheapest ward) to ¥140,000 in Minato (the priciest), an 89% gap. A 1LDK (for a couple) ranges from ¥118,000 in Katsushika to ¥260,000 in Minato. The full breakdown by ward and layout is in our Tokyo Rent Index.

How we built this

We aggregated 528,660 deduplicated active rental listings across Tokyo's 23 special wards (sources: LIFULL and AtHome), then computed the median monthly rent for each ward and layout (1R to 3LDK). We use the median, not the average, because it resists outliers: a few luxury listings do not distort the figure. Every number below reflects what real tenants actually pay.

Reading Tokyo apartment layouts

Tokyo listings use a code for size: the number is bedrooms, the letters describe the living space. 1R is a single room with the kitchen inside it. 1K adds a separated kitchen. 1DK has a dining-kitchen. 1LDK adds a living room, the comfortable single or couple unit. 2LDK and 3LDK add bedrooms for families. Rent climbs steeply at each step.

The cheapest wards (1K studio)

These eastern and outer wards trade a longer commute for rent that is often 30 to 45% below the central wards. For newcomers on a budget, they are the smart entry point. See how to weigh commute versus rent in our rent by neighbourhood guide.

The priciest wards (1K studio)

These are the central business and lifestyle wards. You pay a premium for the address and the short commute. For many expats, a ward one stop out delivers most of the benefit at a meaningfully lower rent.

The gap widens with size

The spread between the cheapest and priciest ward grows with apartment size:

• 1K studio: ¥74,000 to ¥140,000 (+89%)
• 1LDK (couple): ¥118,000 to ¥260,000 (+120%)
• 2LDK (family): ¥161,000 to ¥390,000 (+142%)

In other words, the bigger the home, the more location costs you. A family needing a 2LDK saves the most by choosing an outer ward, where a 2LDK costs roughly the price of a central 1LDK.

What this means for your move

• Single or student: start in an eastern or outer ward (Edogawa, Adachi, Katsushika, Nerima). You get a real apartment for the price of a central room.
• Couple: a 1LDK outside the centre saves ¥50,000 to ¥100,000 a month versus Minato or Shibuya.
• Family: the 2LDK premium in central wards is steep. Outer wards with good schools and parks give far more space per yen.

Before you sign, factor in the move-in costs too (deposit, key money, agency fee, guarantor). Our guides on renting without a guarantor and finding an apartment as a foreigner cover the full picture.

Why a median beats a guess

Most "cost of living in Tokyo" articles cite a single average pulled from memory or a small sample. Two problems follow. First, an average is dragged upward by a handful of luxury towers, so it overstates what a normal tenant pays. Second, a city-wide figure hides the huge ward-to-ward gap you have just seen. A median computed ward by ward, from hundreds of thousands of listings, fixes both. It is the number you can actually budget against.

Rents move with the seasons

These medians are a Q2 2026 snapshot. Tokyo rents drift up slightly in the busy spring and autumn moving seasons, when demand peaks, and ease in the quieter summer. The ward ranking stays stable, but the absolute figures move a few percent across the year. We refresh the index each quarter so it tracks the real market rather than a frozen estimate.

Explore the full data

This report is a snapshot. The complete, ward-by-ward, layout-by-layout breakdown lives in our Tokyo Rent Index, updated quarterly. And if you want help turning these numbers into an actual apartment, that is exactly what we do.

Data: 528,660 active listings, Tokyo 23 wards, Q2 2026. Median monthly rent in JPY. See the [full index](/data).