Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Sendai vs $1,375 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Sendai vs $2,131 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,563 per month in Sendai vs $2,886 in Yokohama, rent included.

Sendai is about 13% cheaper than Yokohama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sendai sits 12% below the global median, while Yokohama is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.37 ¥994

$6.57 ¥1,026

-3.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.25 ¥5,500

$42.14 ¥6,575

-16.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ¥745

$5.24 ¥818

-8.78%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ¥578

$3.58 ¥558

3.35%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$1.12 ¥175

-8.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥136

$0.76 ¥119

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 ¥307

$2.65 ¥413

-25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥501

$3.16 ¥493

1.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥235

$1.49 ¥233

0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥230

$1.76 ¥275

-15.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.73 ¥1,050

$3.68 ¥575

82.88%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥329

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 ¥1,700

$11.95 ¥1,865

-8.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.92 ¥1,859

$6.13 ¥956

94.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 ¥1,420

$15.04 ¥2,346

-39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥568

$5.75 ¥897

-36.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ¥353

$2.88 ¥450

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.82 ¥752

$3.04 ¥474

58.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 ¥503

$4.27 ¥666

-24.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.57 ¥401

2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 ¥362

$2.75 ¥428

-15.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥215

$1.33 ¥208

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ¥194

$0.77 ¥120

62.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ¥714

$3.93 ¥613

16.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 ¥1,122

$6.43 ¥1,003

11.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥253

$1.84 ¥287

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ¥426

$2.07 ¥322

31.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥232

$1.46 ¥227

2.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.23 ¥6,121

$57.3 ¥8,932

-31.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 ¥844

$3.32 ¥518

62.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ¥414

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.64 ¥2,908

$21.00 ¥3,276

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.09 ¥170

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

$16.5K ¥2.6M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

-24.47%

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

$26.1K ¥4.1M

$18.8K ¥2.9M

38.87%

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

$142 ¥22.1K

$138 ¥21.5K

2.92%

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

$30.64 ¥4,781

$24.34 ¥3,798

25.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 ¥5,696

$32.91 ¥5,135

10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.35 ¥7,388

$52.9 ¥8,251

-10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.77 ¥1,993

$11.77 ¥1,837

8.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 ¥1,598

$12.82 ¥2,000

-20.12%

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

$230 ¥35.9K

$654 ¥102.1K

-64.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,835 ¥598.4K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-74.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥9,255

$64.3 ¥10.0K

-7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 ¥5,429

$33.86 ¥5,283

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.48 ¥5,692

$63.1 ¥9,849

-42.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 ¥8,642

$104 ¥16.2K

-46.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥89.2K

$1,179 ¥184.0K

-51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ¥53.9K

$458 ¥71.5K

-24.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ¥110.3K

$2,316 ¥361.4K

-69.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 ¥114.9K

$884 ¥138.0K

-16.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 ¥437.5K

$6,991 ¥1.1M

-59.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,455 ¥227.1K

$4,099 ¥639.5K

-64.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$910 ¥142.0K

$2,778 ¥433.4K

-67.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.73

2.12

28.77%

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

Last update for Sendai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $572 in Sendai versus $1,179 in Yokohama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 205% higher in Yokohama, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Sendai versus $42.00 in Yokohama. Groceries tell a different story – $313 in Sendai vs $301 in Yokohama – so Yokohama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sendai vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama costs about 15% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,799 per month in Sendai and $2,062 in Yokohama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sendai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Sendai and $42.00 in Yokohama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,199 in Sendai and $1,375 in Yokohama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sendai, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Yokohama at $1,375. In Sendai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yokohama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sendai costs $1,199 versus $1,375 in Yokohama. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sendai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yokohama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.