Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,422 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Osaka versus $2,170 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Osaka versus $2,918 in Yokohama.

Living in Osaka costs roughly 5% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 1% above, Yokohama 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,113

$6.88 ¥1,102

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 ¥5,574

$41.10 ¥6,579

-15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥792

$5.42 ¥868

-8.67%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$3.14 ¥502

5.73%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.15 ¥184

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥116

$0.75 ¥120

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥447

$2.09 ¥335

33.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 ¥699

$3.05 ¥488

43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥254

$1.56 ¥250

1.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥236

$1.69 ¥271

-13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 ¥744

$4.95 ¥792

-6.06%

Eggs

$2.36 ¥378

$2.29 ¥366

3.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ¥1,665

$9.97 ¥1,596

4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,040

$6.35 ¥1,016

2.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 ¥3,083

$15.45 ¥2,473

24.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ¥582

$6.18 ¥990

-41.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥335

$3.14 ¥502

-33.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥395

$3.99 ¥638

-38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 ¥696

$6.05 ¥969

-28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ¥264

$3.35 ¥536

-50.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥208

$4.29 ¥687

-69.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.89 ¥143

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥609

$4.15 ¥664

-8.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 ¥1,473

$6.31 ¥1,010

45.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.83 ¥293

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ¥477

$2.05 ¥329

45.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.56 ¥249

1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 ¥5,746

$55.8 ¥8,938

-35.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥718

$3.56 ¥570

26.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 ¥542

$2.64 ¥423

28.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.90 ¥3,826

$22.08 ¥3,534

8.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.23 ¥198

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.02%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-7.02%

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

$130 ¥20.9K

$145 ¥23.2K

-9.95%

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

$27.23 ¥4,358

$27.62 ¥4,421

-1.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.85 ¥4,938

$34.00 ¥5,444

-9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,374

$55.1 ¥8,814

6.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ¥3,271

$13.91 ¥2,227

46.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,981

$13.52 ¥2,164

-8.43%

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

$69.4 ¥11.1K

$285 ¥45.7K

-75.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-23.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.94 ¥7,034

$41.28 ¥6,608

6.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,743

$29.93 ¥4,791

-1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥11.0K

$60.6 ¥9,696

13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$113 ¥18.1K

-16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ¥117.3K

$829 ¥132.7K

-11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥74.8K

$484 ¥77.5K

-3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ¥204.1K

$1,277 ¥204.5K

-0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥131.7K

$866 ¥138.6K

-4.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,986 ¥958.2K

$6,106 ¥977.4K

-1.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,086 ¥333.9K

$4,173 ¥668.1K

-50.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,989 ¥318.4K

$2,623 ¥419.9K

-24.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

2.05

-11.71%

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

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Osaka and $829 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 32% 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $41.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $326 per month, with Osaka 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

Osaka vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Yokohama differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,352 vs $1,422 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yokohama earns 32% 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: $733 in Osaka versus $829 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 56% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $69.4 in Osaka versus $285 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,422 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka 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, Osaka 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 Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.