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: $1,327 in Kobe versus $1,135 in Shizuoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,001 in Kobe versus $1,778 in Shizuoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Kobe versus $2,421 in Shizuoka.

Living in Kobe is roughly 17% more expensive than in Shizuoka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kobe 3% lower, Shizuoka 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 ¥1,186

$6.35 ¥992

19.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.22 ¥4,877

$31.09 ¥4,856

0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥768

$4.87 ¥761

1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ¥373

$2.95 ¥460

-18.98%

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

$1.18 ¥184

$0.98 ¥153

20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥95.2

$0.68 ¥106

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 ¥311

$2.70 ¥421

-26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥354

$3.67 ¥573

-38.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥234

$1.49 ¥233

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ¥196

$1.24 ¥194

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ¥657

$4.48 ¥700

-6.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ¥313

$1.78 ¥278

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 ¥1,923

$6.77 ¥1,058

81.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ¥1,048

$5.17 ¥807

29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.76 ¥2,618

$13.64 ¥2,131

22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.88 ¥1,231

$3.32 ¥519

137.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 ¥478

$1.99 ¥311

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ¥756

$3.29 ¥514

47.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.57 ¥1,183

$3.07 ¥479

146.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 ¥569

$1.48 ¥231

145.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ¥532

$1.16 ¥182

193.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.11 ¥174

4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥147

$0.76 ¥119

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥539

$3.78 ¥590

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ¥1,284

$8.86 ¥1,383

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥311

$1.40 ¥219

42.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ¥233

$3.08 ¥481

-51.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 ¥229

$1.76 ¥275

-16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.1 ¥9,705

$55.7 ¥8,702

11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥499

$3.40 ¥531

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 ¥484

$1.92 ¥301

61.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.70 ¥4,171

$19.01 ¥2,970

40.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.07 ¥167

-1.87%

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

$20.0K ¥3.1M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-7.57%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

1.79%

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

$117 ¥18.2K

$135 ¥21.1K

-13.79%

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

$22.98 ¥3,589

$15.62 ¥2,440

47.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.37 ¥4,901

$30.37 ¥4,745

3.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.74 ¥7,302

$50.7 ¥7,927

-7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.48 ¥1,793

$10.70 ¥1,671

7.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 ¥1,761

$11.75 ¥1,835

-4.09%

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

$319 ¥49.8K

$314 ¥49.1K

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,068 ¥947.9K

$13.1K ¥2.0M

-53.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.89 ¥7,638

$17.94 ¥2,803

172.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.13 ¥3,925

$21.69 ¥3,388

15.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.37 ¥7,244

$61.0 ¥9,535

-24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.3 ¥10.2K

$89.7 ¥14.0K

-27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ¥108.3K

$335 ¥52.3K

107.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥71.8K

$318 ¥49.6K

44.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 ¥164.6K

$1,052 ¥164.3K

0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥114.3K

$730 ¥114.1K

0.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,301 ¥672.0K

$4,295 ¥671.0K

0.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 ¥446.6K

$1,894 ¥296.0K

50.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,736 ¥271.3K

$2,207 ¥344.8K

-21.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

66.00%

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

Last update for Kobe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Kobe and $335 in Shizuoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Kobe vs $31.00 in Shizuoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $351 vs $248, 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

Shizuoka wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Kobe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shizuoka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $693 in Kobe versus $335 in Shizuoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shizuoka runs roughly 12% less than in Kobe. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $319 in Kobe versus $314 in Shizuoka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,135 in Shizuoka versus $1,327 in Kobe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shizuoka but tight or insufficient in Kobe. The gap between the two cities makes Shizuoka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Shizuoka delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,135 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Kobe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.