Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,401 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $2,170 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,940 in Yokohama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 20% more than Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tokyo and Yokohama sit above the global median – Tokyo by 26%, Yokohama by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.88 ¥1,100

17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$41.57 ¥6,648

16.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.63 ¥901

1.07%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.21 ¥514

11.21%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.19 ¥191

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.74 ¥119

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.13 ¥341

99.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.04 ¥487

74.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.50 ¥239

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.76 ¥282

-9.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.96 ¥793

7.26%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.30 ¥368

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.19 ¥1,630

57.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.36 ¥1,018

23.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.46 ¥2,472

49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$6.09 ¥974

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.13 ¥501

-17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.12 ¥658

39.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.98 ¥957

-0.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.40 ¥543

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$4.26 ¥682

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.33 ¥213

11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.89 ¥142

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.24 ¥678

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$6.41 ¥1,026

46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.77 ¥284

21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.05 ¥328

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.55 ¥248

-4.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$54.5 ¥8,716

55.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.48 ¥557

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.76 ¥441

3.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$22.39 ¥3,581

19.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.17 ¥188

4.27%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.40%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-6.19%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$142 ¥22.7K

15.47%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$28.10 ¥4,495

-5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$34.65 ¥5,542

-2.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.8 ¥8,929

23.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.96 ¥2,232

44.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$13.51 ¥2,162

-3.33%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$283 ¥45.2K

79.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

13.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$42.37 ¥6,777

41.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.34 ¥4,693

37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.6 ¥9,698

6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$110 ¥17.6K

-16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$839 ¥134.3K

30.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$481 ¥76.9K

24.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$1,294 ¥207.0K

101.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$862 ¥137.9K

55.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$6,268 ¥1.0M

72.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$4,500 ¥719.8K

10.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$2,672 ¥427.5K

-6.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.05

-16.10%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo 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 7% higher in Yokohama, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $42.00 in Yokohama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $327 – making Yokohama 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

Tokyo vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo, $1,401 in Yokohama – roughly 20% apart. Tokyo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo 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 Yokohama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Tokyo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo and $42.00 in Yokohama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yokohama, where all-in costs run around $1,401, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Yokohama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tokyo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,401 in Yokohama to $1,684 in Tokyo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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