Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Nara and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,284 in Nara versus $1,401 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Nara versus $2,170 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,572 in Nara versus $2,940 in Yokohama.

Living in Nara costs roughly 8% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nara is 4% below, Yokohama is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 ¥1,082

$6.88 ¥1,100

-1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 ¥5,498

$41.57 ¥6,648

-17.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 ¥905

$5.63 ¥901

0.53%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥484

$3.21 ¥514

-5.61%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.19 ¥191

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.74 ¥119

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥544

$2.13 ¥341

59.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.04 ¥487

5.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.50 ¥239

2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥240

$1.76 ¥282

-14.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 ¥740

$4.96 ¥793

-6.65%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.30 ¥368

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ¥1,700

$10.19 ¥1,630

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ¥1,014

$6.36 ¥1,018

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.80 ¥3,326

$15.46 ¥2,472

34.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥586

$6.09 ¥974

-39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ¥349

$3.13 ¥501

-30.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥404

$4.12 ¥658

-38.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥691

$5.98 ¥957

-27.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥276

$3.40 ¥543

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ¥206

$4.26 ¥682

-69.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥219

$1.33 ¥213

3.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.89 ¥142

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥541

$4.24 ¥678

-20.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 ¥1,496

$6.41 ¥1,026

46.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$1.77 ¥284

16.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥378

$2.05 ¥328

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 ¥358

$1.55 ¥248

44.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 ¥8,987

$54.5 ¥8,716

3.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ¥546

$3.48 ¥557

-2.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 ¥472

$2.76 ¥441

6.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.42 ¥2,786

$22.39 ¥3,581

-22.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.17 ¥188

1.71%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

0.06%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-8.24%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$142 ¥22.7K

-4.86%

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

$27.21 ¥4,352

$28.10 ¥4,495

-3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 ¥4,910

$34.65 ¥5,542

-11.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.2 ¥13.0K

$55.8 ¥8,929

45.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.21 ¥1,313

$13.96 ¥2,232

-41.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.41 ¥1,985

$13.51 ¥2,162

-8.14%

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

$69.9 ¥11.2K

$283 ¥45.2K

-75.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K ¥1.6M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-25.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.02 ¥7,040

$42.37 ¥6,777

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.28 ¥4,683

$29.34 ¥4,693

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 ¥8,900

$60.6 ¥9,698

-8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ¥14.5K

$110 ¥17.6K

-17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ¥69.5K

$839 ¥134.3K

-48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ¥59.1K

$481 ¥76.9K

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ¥99.9K

$1,294 ¥207.0K

-51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ¥88.6K

$862 ¥137.9K

-35.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 ¥435.7K

$6,268 ¥1.0M

-56.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,984 ¥317.3K

$4,500 ¥719.8K

-55.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 ¥180.9K

$2,672 ¥427.5K

-57.67%

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 Nara: June 2, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Nara and $839 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 136% 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: $34.00 in Nara vs $42.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $327 per month, with Nara cheaper across the board.

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

Nara vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Yokohama earns 136% less. 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: $435 in Nara versus $839 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nara – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $42.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,284 per month in Nara versus $1,401 in Yokohama – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,284 in Nara versus $1,401 in Yokohama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Nara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yokohama, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nara 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.