Cost of Living Comparison Between Niigata and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Niigata and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $768 in Niigata versus $1,375 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Niigata versus $2,131 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,556 in Niigata versus $2,886 in Yokohama.

Living in Niigata costs roughly 44% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Niigata is 44% below, Yokohama is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.37 ¥994

$6.57 ¥1,026

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.41 ¥2,561

$42.14 ¥6,575

-61.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥790

$5.24 ¥818

-3.24%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ¥417

$3.58 ¥558

-25.42%

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

$1.65 ¥258

$1.12 ¥175

47.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥130

$0.76 ¥119

9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥395

$2.65 ¥413

-4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ¥420

$3.16 ¥493

-14.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥196

$1.49 ¥233

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ¥146

$1.76 ¥275

-47.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 ¥413

$3.68 ¥575

-27.99%

Eggs

$2.24 ¥350

$2.11 ¥329

6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 ¥1,202

$11.95 ¥1,865

-35.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 ¥1,175

$6.13 ¥956

22.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.56 ¥2,895

$15.04 ¥2,346

23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ¥518

$5.75 ¥897

-42.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ¥200

$2.88 ¥450

-55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 ¥399

$3.04 ¥474

-16.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ¥349

$4.27 ¥666

-47.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 ¥310

$2.57 ¥401

-22.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ¥297

$2.75 ¥428

-30.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ¥158

$1.33 ¥208

-24.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥96.4

$0.77 ¥120

-19.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ¥621

$3.93 ¥613

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 ¥702

$6.43 ¥1,003

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥275

$1.84 ¥287

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥295

$2.07 ¥322

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ¥203

$1.46 ¥227

-10.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ¥8,932

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ¥407

$3.32 ¥518

-21.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.65 ¥414

20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.99 ¥2,962

$21.00 ¥3,276

-9.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.09 ¥170

3.67%

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

$19.5K ¥3.0M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

-10.40%

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

$13.0K ¥2.0M

$18.8K ¥2.9M

-30.79%

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

$157 ¥24.5K

$138 ¥21.5K

14.14%

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

$22.59 ¥3,525

$24.34 ¥3,798

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.29 ¥4,102

$32.91 ¥5,135

-20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ¥8,295

$52.9 ¥8,251

0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 ¥1,029

$11.77 ¥1,837

-44.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 ¥1,940

$12.82 ¥2,000

-3.04%

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

$65.6 ¥10.2K

$654 ¥102.1K

-89.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ¥2.8M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

19.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.83 ¥5,123

$64.3 ¥10.0K

-48.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 ¥5,094

$33.86 ¥5,283

-3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.55 ¥6,170

$63.1 ¥9,849

-37.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 ¥10.3K

$104 ¥16.2K

-36.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 ¥56.6K

$1,179 ¥184.0K

-69.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥71.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 ¥361.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ¥138.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,991 ¥1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,099 ¥639.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,313 ¥204.8K

$2,778 ¥433.4K

-52.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.48

2.12

-30.19%

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

Last update for Niigata: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Niigata and $1,179 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 112% 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: $16.00 in Niigata vs $42.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $301 per month, with Niigata 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

Niigata vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Niigata and Yokohama differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($768 vs $1,375 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% 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: $363 in Niigata versus $1,179 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Yokohama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $768 per month in Niigata versus $1,375 in Yokohama – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Niigata versus $1,375 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Niigata but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Niigata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Niigata 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 Niigata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.