Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Kobe and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Kobe versus $1,440 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,896 in Kobe versus $2,182 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,570 in Kobe versus $2,924 in Yokohama.

Living in Kobe costs roughly 15% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,377

$7.13 ¥1,158

18.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.16 ¥4,576

$41.15 ¥6,685

-31.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥804

$5.57 ¥905

-11.13%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥492

$3.20 ¥519

-5.31%

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

$0.99 ¥162

$1.17 ¥189

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥123

$0.81 ¥132

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ¥403

$2.11 ¥342

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥512

$3.08 ¥500

2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥263

$1.56 ¥254

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥207

$1.67 ¥271

-23.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 ¥788

$4.99 ¥811

-2.81%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥262

$2.27 ¥369

-29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 ¥2,227

$10.18 ¥1,654

34.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 ¥1,220

$6.20 ¥1,007

21.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 ¥2,478

$15.62 ¥2,537

-2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$8.97 ¥1,457

$6.09 ¥989

47.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 ¥472

$3.10 ¥504

-6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 ¥785

$3.94 ¥640

22.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.53 ¥1,549

$6.06 ¥985

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 ¥634

$3.39 ¥551

15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ¥428

$4.25 ¥690

-38.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥216

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥223

$0.88 ¥143

55.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥571

$4.11 ¥667

-14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 ¥1,287

$7.15 ¥1,162

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥448

$1.81 ¥295

52.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥384

$2.06 ¥334

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥240

$1.54 ¥250

-3.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.41 ¥6,240

$54.4 ¥8,839

-29.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 ¥573

$3.38 ¥550

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ¥219

$2.63 ¥427

-48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 ¥2,836

$21.83 ¥3,547

-20.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥198

$1.23 ¥201

-0.81%

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

$22.3K ¥3.6M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-4.75%

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

$14.6K ¥2.4M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-19.66%

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

$141 ¥23.0K

$144 ¥23.4K

-1.68%

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

$26.68 ¥4,335

$27.88 ¥4,530

-4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 ¥5,581

$33.38 ¥5,423

2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 ¥7,882

$54.9 ¥8,911

-11.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 ¥3,403

$13.72 ¥2,230

52.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 ¥2,031

$13.92 ¥2,261

-10.20%

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

$350 ¥56.9K

$285 ¥46.2K

23.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ¥1.8M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.02 ¥7,477

$41.99 ¥6,822

9.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 ¥5,248

$29.44 ¥4,783

9.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.98 ¥6,659

$59.1 ¥9,608

-30.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.49 ¥8,041

$109 ¥17.8K

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥79.0K

$827 ¥134.4K

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥51.4K

$475 ¥77.2K

-33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 ¥113.9K

$1,268 ¥206.1K

-44.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ¥97.1K

$834 ¥135.5K

-28.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 ¥687.0K

$6,106 ¥992.0K

-30.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,856 ¥464.1K

$4,409 ¥716.3K

-35.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,739 ¥282.5K

$2,612 ¥424.4K

-33.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

2.05

-13.17%

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

Last update for Kobe: July 11, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Kobe and $827 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 50% 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 $41.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 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

Kobe vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Yokohama. 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 50% 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: $486 in Kobe versus $827 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 42% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $350 in Kobe versus $285 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in Kobe versus $1,440 in Yokohama, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. 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 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 Kobe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.