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: $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,385 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,977 in Kawagoe versus $2,142 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Kawagoe versus $2,898 in Yokohama.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 12% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 11% below, Yokohama is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ¥1,017

$6.51 ¥1,000

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.66 ¥6,546

$41.89 ¥6,428

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥786

$5.20 ¥797

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥538

$3.48 ¥534

0.57%

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

$0.93 ¥143

$1.12 ¥172

-16.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥77.4

$0.77 ¥118

-35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ¥296

$2.53 ¥388

-23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ¥431

$3.20 ¥490

-12.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥183

$1.41 ¥217

-15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥198

$1.77 ¥272

-27.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 ¥581

$3.64 ¥559

4.12%

Eggs

$2.13 ¥327

$2.07 ¥318

2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 ¥973

$12.06 ¥1,850

-47.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 ¥927

$6.15 ¥944

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 ¥2,271

$14.67 ¥2,251

0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥912

$5.89 ¥904

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 ¥358

$2.79 ¥428

-16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥446

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥495

$4.21 ¥647

-23.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥416

$2.61 ¥401

3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ¥295

$2.68 ¥411

-28.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ¥195

$1.33 ¥204

-4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.92 ¥602

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 ¥750

$6.37 ¥978

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥285

$1.80 ¥277

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥321

$2.08 ¥320

0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 ¥474

$1.39 ¥213

122.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$162 ¥24.8K

$57.7 ¥8,849

180.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ¥508

$3.15 ¥484

5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 ¥393

$2.62 ¥403

-2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.09 ¥3,236

$21.02 ¥3,225

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥170

$1.15 ¥176

-3.48%

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

$16.1K ¥2.5M

$21.7K ¥3.3M

-25.78%

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

$13.1K ¥2.0M

$19.0K ¥2.9M

-31.13%

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

$137 ¥21.0K

$135 ¥20.7K

1.25%

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

$22.78 ¥3,496

$25.04 ¥3,842

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.01 ¥5,064

$32.42 ¥4,974

1.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 ¥6,887

$51.3 ¥7,873

-12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.59 ¥5,000

$11.82 ¥1,813

175.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ¥1,754

$12.88 ¥1,976

-11.26%

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

$325 ¥49.9K

$647 ¥99.2K

-49.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,361 ¥975.9K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-57.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.02 ¥4,913

$65.1 ¥9,993

-50.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 ¥5,139

$32.63 ¥5,007

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.80 ¥7,027

$63.2 ¥9,700

-27.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 ¥14.9K

$103 ¥15.9K

-5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥64.3K

$1,191 ¥182.8K

-64.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥43.2K

$460 ¥70.6K

-38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ¥134.1K

$2,333 ¥357.9K

-62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 ¥93.4K

$855 ¥131.1K

-28.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,546 ¥390.6K

$7,041 ¥1.1M

-63.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,288 ¥197.7K

$4,103 ¥629.5K

-68.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 ¥251.3K

$2,740 ¥420.3K

-40.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.6

2.12

-24.53%

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

Last update for Kawagoe: September 7, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $419 in Kawagoe and $1,191 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 67% 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: $43.00 in Kawagoe vs $42.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $298, with Kawagoe 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,221 vs $1,385 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 67% 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: $419 in Kawagoe versus $1,191 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 $43.00 versus $42.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,221 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,385 in Yokohama – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,385 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 13% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.