Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,440 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Kawagoe versus $2,182 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,722 in Kawagoe versus $2,924 in Yokohama.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 13% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 6% below, Yokohama is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,118

$7.13 ¥1,158

-3.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.69 ¥5,638

$41.15 ¥6,687

-15.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥827

$5.57 ¥905

-8.62%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ¥466

$3.20 ¥519

-10.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥165

$1.17 ¥189

-13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥120

$0.81 ¥132

-8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.11 ¥342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥347

$3.08 ¥500

-30.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥272

$1.56 ¥254

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥321

$1.67 ¥271

17.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.86 ¥1,277

$4.99 ¥811

57.52%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥245

$2.27 ¥369

-33.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ¥2,002

$10.18 ¥1,655

21.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 ¥1,990

$6.20 ¥1,008

97.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 ¥2,696

$15.62 ¥2,538

6.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ¥1,261

$6.09 ¥989

27.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ¥417

$3.10 ¥504

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ¥711

$3.94 ¥640

11.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 ¥730

$6.06 ¥985

-25.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 ¥587

$3.39 ¥551

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥597

$4.25 ¥690

-13.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.33 ¥216

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ¥195

$0.88 ¥143

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ¥701

$4.11 ¥667

4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ¥1,274

$7.15 ¥1,162

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 ¥404

$1.81 ¥295

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥560

$2.06 ¥334

66.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$1.54 ¥250

8.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥9,124

$54.4 ¥8,841

3.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥572

$3.38 ¥550

4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥468

$2.63 ¥427

9.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.84 ¥3,386

$21.83 ¥3,548

-4.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥185

$1.23 ¥201

-7.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.3K ¥4.0M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

3.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-5.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.3 ¥13.4K

$144 ¥23.4K

-42.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.55 ¥1,715

$27.88 ¥4,531

-62.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 ¥2,803

$33.38 ¥5,424

-48.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$54.9 ¥8,914

34.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥2,292

$13.72 ¥2,230

2.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 ¥1,891

$13.92 ¥2,262

-16.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$276 ¥44.9K

$285 ¥46.2K

-2.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-1.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.49 ¥6,906

$41.99 ¥6,824

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 ¥4,853

$29.44 ¥4,784

1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 ¥9,618

$59.1 ¥9,611

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 ¥15.9K

$109 ¥17.8K

-10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.4K

$827 ¥134.4K

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥52.5K

$475 ¥77.2K

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ¥141.8K

$1,268 ¥206.1K

-31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥106.9K

$834 ¥135.5K

-21.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,500 ¥406.2K

$6,106 ¥992.3K

-59.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 ¥344.0K

$4,409 ¥716.5K

-51.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 ¥251.9K

$2,612 ¥424.6K

-40.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-2.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kawagoe and $827 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Kawagoe vs $41.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $327, with Yokohama cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kawagoe vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawagoe and Yokohama differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,440 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Yokohama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Kawagoe versus $827 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $41.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,440 in Yokohama – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,440 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kawagoe and Yokohama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.