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: $1,421 in Osaka versus $1,385 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Osaka versus $2,142 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Osaka versus $2,898 in Yokohama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 3% more expensive than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 3% above, Yokohama 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥983

$6.51 ¥1,000

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,063

$41.89 ¥6,433

-21.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥805

$5.20 ¥798

0.77%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$3.48 ¥534

-15.23%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$1.12 ¥172

26.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥115

$0.77 ¥118

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$2.53 ¥389

5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥613

$3.20 ¥491

24.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.41 ¥217

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.77 ¥272

-22.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥861

$3.64 ¥560

53.85%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥323

$2.07 ¥318

1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,532

$12.06 ¥1,851

-17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,465

$6.15 ¥944

55.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,873

$14.67 ¥2,252

27.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥533

$5.89 ¥905

-41.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$2.79 ¥428

-29.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥315

$2.91 ¥446

-29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥617

$4.21 ¥647

-4.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥246

$2.61 ¥401

-38.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$2.68 ¥412

-55.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.33 ¥204

4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

$0.77 ¥118

10.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥610

$3.92 ¥602

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,457

$6.37 ¥979

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥293

$1.80 ¥277

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥504

$2.08 ¥320

57.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.39 ¥213

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,044

$57.7 ¥8,856

-43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥583

$3.15 ¥484

20.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$2.62 ¥403

27.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,354

$21.02 ¥3,227

3.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$1.15 ¥176

-4.35%

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$21.7K ¥3.3M

4.28%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$19.0K ¥2.9M

-20.11%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$135 ¥20.8K

4.25%

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

$25.14 ¥3,860

$25.04 ¥3,845

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,792

$32.42 ¥4,978

-3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,347

$51.3 ¥7,879

5.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

$11.82 ¥1,815

58.12%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,902

$12.88 ¥1,977

-3.88%

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

$526 ¥80.8K

$647 ¥99.3K

-18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-11.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,532

$65.1 ¥10.0K

-24.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,873

$32.63 ¥5,011

-2.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$63.2 ¥9,708

17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$103 ¥15.9K

-11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.1K

$1,191 ¥182.9K

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.5K

$460 ¥70.6K

13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥268.1K

$2,333 ¥358.2K

-25.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.6K

$855 ¥131.2K

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥978.6K

$7,041 ¥1.1M

-9.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.9K

$4,103 ¥630.0K

-52.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

$2,740 ¥420.7K

-14.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.12

4.25%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $1,191 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Yokohama. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $298, 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

Osaka vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Yokohama differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,421 vs $1,385 including rent). Yokohama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $717 in Osaka versus $1,191 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yokohama runs roughly 76% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $526 in Osaka versus $647 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yokohama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Yokohama 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 Yokohama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.