Cost of Living Comparison Between Shizuoka and Kobe Cost of Living Comparison Between Shizuoka and Kobe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Shizuoka versus $1,258 in Kobe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,995 in Shizuoka versus $1,901 in Kobe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,682 in Shizuoka versus $2,545 in Kobe.

Living in Shizuoka is roughly 4% more expensive than Kobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shizuoka 2% lower, Kobe 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 ¥1,078

$8.49 ¥1,358

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.42 ¥5,506

$27.56 ¥4,409

24.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ¥823

$4.72 ¥756

8.90%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥562

$3.07 ¥491

14.33%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$0.99 ¥159

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.70 ¥112

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥337

$2.37 ¥379

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$3.09 ¥494

-33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥255

$1.62 ¥259

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.28 ¥204

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ¥673

$4.73 ¥756

-10.99%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$1.67 ¥267

-8.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ¥1,751

$13.98 ¥2,236

-21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 ¥1,029

$7.68 ¥1,228

-16.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 ¥2,485

$15.15 ¥2,424

2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 ¥863

$9.17 ¥1,467

-41.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$2.79 ¥445

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 ¥628

$4.72 ¥755

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ¥663

$9.50 ¥1,520

-56.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 ¥470

$3.95 ¥632

-25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ¥399

$2.54 ¥407

-1.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ¥246

$1.33 ¥212

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥219

$1.43 ¥228

-4.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 ¥764

$3.54 ¥566

35.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 ¥1,419

$8.34 ¥1,335

6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.76 ¥441

-25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ¥571

$2.29 ¥367

55.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 ¥324

$1.44 ¥230

40.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.03 ¥3,684

$38.33 ¥6,130

-39.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥658

$3.57 ¥571

15.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ¥323

$1.29 ¥206

56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.50 ¥3,279

$17.35 ¥2,775

18.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥190

0.84%

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

$27.6K ¥4.4M

$21.6K ¥3.5M

27.53%

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

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.3K ¥2.3M

23.31%

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

$235 ¥37.6K

$142 ¥22.7K

65.65%

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

$17.16 ¥2,744

$27.24 ¥4,358

-37.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.20 ¥6,430

$34.52 ¥5,521

16.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.9 ¥15.7K

$46.92 ¥7,505

108.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 ¥2,249

$20.89 ¥3,342

-32.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 ¥1,890

$12.35 ¥1,975

-4.29%

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

$246 ¥39.3K

$360 ¥57.6K

-31.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$11.5K ¥1.8M

18.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.31 ¥7,248

$46.65 ¥7,461

-2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 ¥4,804

$32.12 ¥5,137

-6.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥11.0K

$40.55 ¥6,487

69.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 ¥15.4K

$47.69 ¥7,628

101.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ¥60.5K

$481 ¥77.0K

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥45.1K

$310 ¥49.7K

-9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 ¥107.3K

$691 ¥110.5K

-2.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 ¥91.4K

$590 ¥94.3K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,015 ¥962.0K

$4,360 ¥697.4K

37.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,151 ¥664.0K

$2,851 ¥456.0K

45.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,196 ¥351.3K

$1,769 ¥283.0K

24.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

-43.82%

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

Last update for Shizuoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kobe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Shizuoka and $481 in Kobe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 24% 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: $34.00 in Shizuoka vs $28.00 in Kobe. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $384, with Shizuoka 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

Shizuoka vs Kobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Shizuoka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kobe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shizuoka pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Shizuoka versus $481 in Kobe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 66% less than in Shizuoka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $246 in Shizuoka versus $360 in Kobe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,258 in Kobe versus $1,307 in Shizuoka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Shizuoka. The gap between the two cities makes Kobe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kobe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,258 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kobe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Shizuoka and Kobe 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 Kobe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Shizuoka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.