Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Shizuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Shizuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Kobe versus $1,280 in Shizuoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,896 in Kobe versus $1,942 in Shizuoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,570 in Kobe versus $2,605 in Shizuoka.

Living in Kobe costs roughly 4% less than in Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kobe 8% lower, Shizuoka 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,377

$6.79 ¥1,103

24.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.16 ¥4,576

$34.49 ¥5,604

-18.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥804

$5.06 ¥823

-2.17%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥492

$3.49 ¥568

-13.18%

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

$0.99 ¥162

$1.06 ¥172

-6.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥123

$0.77 ¥125

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ¥403

$2.11 ¥343

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥512

$2.09 ¥340

50.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥263

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥207

$1.54 ¥250

-17.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 ¥788

$4.25 ¥690

14.12%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥262

$1.58 ¥257

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 ¥2,227

$10.63 ¥1,727

28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 ¥1,220

$6.65 ¥1,080

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 ¥2,478

$15.53 ¥2,524

-1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$8.97 ¥1,457

$5.44 ¥884

64.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ¥472

$2.51 ¥408

15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 ¥785

$3.92 ¥637

23.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.53 ¥1,549

$4.14 ¥672

130.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ¥634

$2.90 ¥470

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ¥428

$2.55 ¥414

3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥216

$1.54 ¥249

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.38 ¥224

-0.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥571

$4.78 ¥776

-26.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 ¥1,287

$8.82 ¥1,434

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥448

$2.05 ¥333

34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥384

$3.40 ¥553

-30.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥240

$2.05 ¥333

-27.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.41 ¥6,240

$22.79 ¥3,703

68.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 ¥573

$4.19 ¥680

-15.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ¥219

$2.02 ¥328

-33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 ¥2,836

$20.50 ¥3,332

-14.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥198

$1.20 ¥195

1.67%

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

$22.3K ¥3.6M

$27.8K ¥4.5M

-19.76%

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

$14.6K ¥2.4M

$17.6K ¥2.9M

-17.06%

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

$141 ¥23.0K

$230 ¥37.4K

-38.58%

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

$26.68 ¥4,335

$16.69 ¥2,712

59.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 ¥5,581

$39.95 ¥6,490

-14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 ¥7,882

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-49.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 ¥3,403

$14.10 ¥2,291

48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥2,031

$11.65 ¥1,893

7.30%

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

$350 ¥56.9K

$242 ¥39.3K

44.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ¥1.8M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-16.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.02 ¥7,477

$45.11 ¥7,330

2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 ¥5,248

$29.19 ¥4,743

10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.98 ¥6,659

$68.2 ¥11.1K

-39.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.49 ¥8,041

$97.4 ¥15.8K

-49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥79.0K

$383 ¥62.2K

27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥51.4K

$280 ¥45.5K

12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 ¥113.9K

$659 ¥107.1K

6.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ¥97.1K

$569 ¥92.5K

4.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 ¥687.0K

$4,382 ¥712.0K

-3.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,856 ¥464.1K

$2,093 ¥340.1K

36.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,739 ¥282.5K

$2,126 ¥345.4K

-18.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

78.00%

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

Last update for Kobe: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Kobe and $383 in Shizuoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 22% 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: $28.00 in Kobe vs $34.00 in Shizuoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $316, with Shizuoka 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

Kobe vs Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Shizuoka. 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 22% lower in Shizuoka. 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: $486 in Kobe versus $383 in Shizuoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 69% less than in Shizuoka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $350 in Kobe versus $242 in Shizuoka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in Kobe versus $1,280 in Shizuoka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Shizuoka. 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 $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kobe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kobe and Shizuoka 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 5% less than in Shizuoka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.