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: $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,434 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Osaka versus $2,171 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Osaka versus $2,907 in Yokohama.

Living in Osaka costs roughly 6% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 1% above, Yokohama 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,103

$7.02 ¥1,146

-3.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.24 ¥5,755

$42.14 ¥6,882

-16.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥776

$5.62 ¥918

-15.48%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥537

$3.21 ¥524

2.49%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.21 ¥198

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥124

$0.80 ¥131

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥461

$2.05 ¥335

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ¥720

$3.10 ¥506

42.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥260

$1.50 ¥244

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥235

$1.70 ¥277

-15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥781

$4.83 ¥789

-1.04%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥381

$2.30 ¥375

1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,732

$9.98 ¥1,630

6.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,043

$6.41 ¥1,047

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 ¥3,081

$15.31 ¥2,500

23.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥598

$6.16 ¥1,005

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ¥346

$3.10 ¥507

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥411

$3.94 ¥643

-36.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥724

$6.21 ¥1,014

-28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥272

$3.33 ¥543

-49.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ¥206

$4.25 ¥694

-70.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥217

$1.39 ¥227

-4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥143

$0.81 ¥133

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥647

$4.25 ¥693

-6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ¥1,478

$7.08 ¥1,156

27.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥331

$1.80 ¥294

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ¥474

$2.12 ¥347

36.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥259

$1.51 ¥247

5.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.37 ¥5,776

$55.6 ¥9,074

-36.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥726

$3.46 ¥565

28.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 ¥547

$2.67 ¥435

25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 ¥3,869

$22.03 ¥3,597

7.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥195

$1.20 ¥195

-0.83%

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

$23.1K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

1.19%

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

$16.9K ¥2.8M

$18.8K ¥3.1M

-10.38%

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

$135 ¥22.0K

$144 ¥23.5K

-6.15%

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

$27.52 ¥4,493

$27.27 ¥4,453

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥5,001

$34.06 ¥5,562

-10.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 ¥9,347

$56.2 ¥9,174

1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ¥3,452

$13.63 ¥2,226

55.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 ¥2,000

$13.86 ¥2,264

-11.62%

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

$68.0 ¥11.1K

$284 ¥46.4K

-76.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-24.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,292

$41.73 ¥6,815

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ¥4,729

$29.58 ¥4,831

-2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥11.2K

$61.2 ¥9,993

12.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ¥15.8K

$112 ¥18.3K

-13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ¥117.7K

$839 ¥137.0K

-14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥77.3K

$475 ¥77.5K

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ¥211.9K

$1,290 ¥210.7K

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 ¥133.6K

$859 ¥140.3K

-4.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,971 ¥975.1K

$6,141 ¥1.0M

-2.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 ¥331.3K

$4,365 ¥712.8K

-53.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 ¥305.0K

$2,633 ¥430.0K

-29.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Osaka and $839 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 41% 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 $42.00 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,347 vs $1,434 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $721 in Osaka versus $839 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 57% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.0 in Osaka versus $284 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,434 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 6% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.