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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Sendai vs $1,401 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,903 per month in Sendai vs $2,170 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,569 per month in Sendai vs $2,940 in Yokohama, rent included.

Sendai is about 12% cheaper than Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sendai sits 8% below the global median, while Yokohama is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 ¥1,069

$6.88 ¥1,103

-3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 ¥5,451

$41.57 ¥6,663

-18.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥789

$5.63 ¥903

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ¥614

$3.21 ¥515

19.31%

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

$1.57 ¥251

$1.19 ¥191

31.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.74 ¥119

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ¥569

$2.13 ¥341

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ¥544

$3.04 ¥488

11.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.50 ¥240

-1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.76 ¥282

-32.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ¥618

$4.96 ¥795

-22.38%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥300

$2.30 ¥369

-18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,628

$10.19 ¥1,634

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,191

$6.36 ¥1,020

16.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥1,512

$15.46 ¥2,477

-39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥859

$6.09 ¥976

-11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ¥369

$3.13 ¥502

-26.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 ¥794

$4.12 ¥660

20.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 ¥581

$5.98 ¥959

-39.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥420

$3.40 ¥544

-22.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ¥318

$4.26 ¥683

-53.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ¥183

$1.33 ¥213

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.89 ¥143

-8.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 ¥782

$4.24 ¥679

15.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 ¥1,113

$6.41 ¥1,028

8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.77 ¥284

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥435

$2.05 ¥328

32.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 ¥274

$1.55 ¥248

10.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.39 ¥7,917

$54.5 ¥8,734

-9.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 ¥898

$3.48 ¥558

60.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ¥217

$2.76 ¥442

-50.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 ¥3,231

$22.39 ¥3,589

-9.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥189

$1.17 ¥188

0.85%

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

$20.7K ¥3.3M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-10.53%

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

$28.2K ¥4.5M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

51.89%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$142 ¥22.7K

22.14%

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

$23.14 ¥3,709

$28.10 ¥4,504

-17.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 ¥5,051

$34.65 ¥5,554

-9.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,824

$55.8 ¥8,948

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,233

$13.96 ¥2,237

-0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥1,974

$13.51 ¥2,166

-8.81%

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

$314 ¥50.4K

$283 ¥45.3K

11.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,305 ¥1.0M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-54.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ¥9,920

$42.37 ¥6,791

46.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 ¥6,233

$29.34 ¥4,703

32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 ¥8,290

$60.6 ¥9,719

-14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 ¥12.3K

$110 ¥17.6K

-30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ¥71.5K

$839 ¥134.6K

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.3K

$481 ¥77.1K

-32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥132.3K

$1,294 ¥207.4K

-36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ¥101.4K

$862 ¥138.2K

-26.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ¥425.8K

$6,268 ¥1.0M

-57.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 ¥227.5K

$4,500 ¥721.4K

-68.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 ¥181.8K

$2,672 ¥428.4K

-57.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

46.34%

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

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Sendai versus $839 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 136% 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 $34.00 in Sendai versus $42.00 in Yokohama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $327 – making Sendai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 13% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,856 per month in Sendai and $2,101 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 $34.00 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 $1,237 in Sendai and $1,401 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 $1,237, than in Yokohama at $1,401. 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 $1,237 versus $1,401 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.