Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Kobe: $1,381 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Kobe
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Kobe Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Kobe

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,381

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kobe and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kobe and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,381 in Kobe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Kobe $1,381
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,056 in Kobe versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Kobe $2,056
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,732 in Kobe versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Kobe $2,732
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Kobe costs roughly 48% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kobe 2% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.75 ¥1,224

$20.77 $20.77

-62.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.99 ¥4,896

$84.6 $84.6

-63.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥752

$12.32 $12.32

-61.36%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ¥370

$5.63 $5.63

-58.44%

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

$1.14 ¥180

$3.72 $3.72

-69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥97.6

$2.50 $2.50

-75.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ¥324

$8.05 $8.05

-74.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥369

$9.01 $9.01

-74.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥242

$1.12 $1.12

36.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ¥198

$3.75 $3.75

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 ¥662

$3.26 $3.26

28.53%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥317

$4.17 $4.17

-52.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ¥1,985

$12.90 $12.90

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 ¥1,115

$14.16 $14.16

-50.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 ¥2,717

$16.22 $16.22

6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.99 ¥1,263

$4.33 $4.33

84.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 ¥464

$1.46 $1.46

101.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 ¥804

$4.51 $4.51

12.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 ¥1,208

$4.34 $4.34

76.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 ¥610

$2.58 $2.58

49.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 ¥533

$2.35 $2.35

43.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ¥186

$1.78 $1.78

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥140

$2.22 $2.22

-60.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥538

$9.88 $9.88

-65.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ¥1,309

$15.08 $15.08

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥310

$2.92 $2.92

-32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ¥237

$3.46 $3.46

-56.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 ¥232

$1.49 $1.49

-1.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 ¥10.1K

$41.72 $41.72

53.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ¥501

$2.73 $2.73

16.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 ¥501

$1.66 $1.66

90.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.12 ¥4,127

$35.30 $35.30

-26.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥173

$0.95 $0.95

15.79%

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

$20.1K ¥3.2M

$36.0K $36.0K

-44.15%

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

$15.5K ¥2.4M

$27.1K $27.1K

-42.88%

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

$143 ¥22.6K

$229 $229

-37.65%

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

$23.62 ¥3,732

$59.4 $59.4

-60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 ¥4,942

$69.9 $69.9

-55.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.38 ¥7,170

$57.2 $57.2

-20.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.47 ¥1,813

$16.33 $16.33

-29.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 ¥1,810

$14.28 $14.28

-19.75%

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

$317 ¥50.0K

$1,506 $1,506

-78.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,099 ¥963.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

-71.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 ¥7,857

$52.8 $52.8

-5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.25 ¥3,988

$43.82 $43.82

-42.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.07 ¥7,279

$84.8 $84.8

-45.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 ¥10.2K

$103 $103

-37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ¥107.8K

$1,907 $1,907

-64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥72.5K

$1,274 $1,274

-63.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ¥166.9K

$3,664 $3,664

-71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 ¥117.1K

$2,538 $2,538

-70.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,263 ¥673.4K

$7,614 $7,614

-44.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,821 ¥445.7K

$3,157 $3,157

-10.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,962 ¥310.0K

$5,121 $5,121

-61.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.02

6.79

-70.25%

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

Last update for Kobe: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kobe

$459 33.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 178% $815

Groceries & Markets

Kobe

$356 25.8%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 13.5% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kobe

$198 14.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 81.3% $161

Eating Out

Kobe

$126 9.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 180% $228

Getting Around

Kobe

$89 6.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 34.1% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Kobe

$84 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 53% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Kobe

$68 5%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 25.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Kobe and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 161% 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: $31.00 in Kobe vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $405 per month, with Kobe cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Kobe

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

14:49 2:49 PM

00:49 12:49 AM

14 h behind Kobe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,537,272

974,447

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to JPY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kobe Austin, TX 10,910 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Kobe
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kobe vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kobe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 161% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $683 in Kobe versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,381 per month in Kobe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 54% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,381 in Kobe versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Kobe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kobe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,381 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kobe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kobe and Austin, TX 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 Kobe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.