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: $1,135 in Shizuoka versus $1,327 in Kobe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,778 in Shizuoka versus $2,001 in Kobe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,421 in Shizuoka versus $2,675 in Kobe.

Living in Shizuoka costs roughly 15% less than in Kobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shizuoka 17% lower, Kobe 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.35 ¥992

$7.59 ¥1,186

-16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 ¥4,856

$31.22 ¥4,877

-0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥761

$4.92 ¥768

-1.02%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥460

$2.39 ¥373

23.43%

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

$0.98 ¥153

$1.18 ¥184

-16.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥106

$0.61 ¥95.2

11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ¥421

$1.99 ¥311

35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ¥573

$2.26 ¥354

62.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥233

$1.50 ¥234

-0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.25 ¥196

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 ¥700

$4.21 ¥657

6.41%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥278

$2.00 ¥313

-11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 ¥1,058

$12.31 ¥1,923

-45.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 ¥807

$6.71 ¥1,048

-22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 ¥2,131

$16.76 ¥2,618

-18.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ¥519

$7.88 ¥1,231

-57.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ¥311

$3.06 ¥478

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ¥514

$4.84 ¥756

-32.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ¥479

$7.57 ¥1,183

-59.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥231

$3.64 ¥569

-59.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ¥182

$3.41 ¥532

-65.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥174

$1.16 ¥181

-4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.94 ¥147

-19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥590

$3.45 ¥539

9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 ¥1,383

$8.22 ¥1,284

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥219

$1.99 ¥311

-29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥481

$1.49 ¥233

106.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 ¥275

$1.47 ¥229

19.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 ¥8,702

$62.1 ¥9,705

-10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ¥531

$3.20 ¥499

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 ¥301

$3.10 ¥484

-38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.01 ¥2,970

$26.70 ¥4,171

-28.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ¥167

$1.05 ¥164

1.90%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$20.0K ¥3.1M

8.18%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-1.76%

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

$135 ¥21.1K

$117 ¥18.2K

16.00%

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

$15.62 ¥2,440

$22.98 ¥3,589

-32.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,745

$31.37 ¥4,901

-3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 ¥7,927

$46.74 ¥7,302

8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.70 ¥1,671

$11.48 ¥1,793

-6.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 ¥1,835

$11.27 ¥1,761

4.26%

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

$314 ¥49.1K

$319 ¥49.8K

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ¥2.0M

$6,068 ¥947.9K

115.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 ¥2,803

$48.89 ¥7,638

-63.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.69 ¥3,388

$25.13 ¥3,925

-13.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,535

$46.37 ¥7,244

31.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 ¥14.0K

$65.3 ¥10.2K

37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥52.3K

$693 ¥108.3K

-51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥49.6K

$460 ¥71.8K

-30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ¥164.3K

$1,054 ¥164.6K

-0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 ¥114.1K

$732 ¥114.3K

-0.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,295 ¥671.0K

$4,301 ¥672.0K

-0.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,894 ¥296.0K

$2,859 ¥446.6K

-33.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,207 ¥344.8K

$1,736 ¥271.3K

27.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

-39.76%

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

Last update for Shizuoka: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kobe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Shizuoka and $693 in Kobe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Shizuoka vs $31.00 in Kobe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $351 per month, with Shizuoka 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

Shizuoka vs Kobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shizuoka wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Kobe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shizuoka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Shizuoka, 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: $335 in Shizuoka versus $693 in Kobe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shizuoka runs roughly 12% less than in Kobe. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $314 in Shizuoka versus $319 in Kobe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,135 in Shizuoka versus $1,327 in Kobe, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shizuoka but tight or insufficient in Kobe. The gap between the two cities makes Shizuoka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Shizuoka delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,135 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Kobe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.