Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsukuba and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsukuba and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,155 in Tsukuba versus $1,440 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,866 in Tsukuba versus $2,182 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Tsukuba versus $2,924 in Yokohama.

Living in Tsukuba costs roughly 20% less than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tsukuba is 14% below, Yokohama is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 ¥669

$7.13 ¥1,158

-42.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.67 ¥5,958

$41.15 ¥6,685

-10.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ¥928

$5.57 ¥905

2.51%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ¥457

$3.20 ¥519

-11.88%

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

$0.89 ¥145

$1.17 ¥189

-23.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.81 ¥132

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ¥312

$2.11 ¥342

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥503

$3.08 ¥500

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥255

$1.56 ¥254

0.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 ¥283

$1.67 ¥271

4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ¥402

$4.99 ¥811

-50.30%

Eggs

$2.22 ¥360

$2.27 ¥369

-2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 ¥1,312

$10.18 ¥1,654

-20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ¥992

$6.20 ¥1,007

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 ¥1,814

$15.62 ¥2,537

-28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 ¥950

$6.09 ¥989

-3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 ¥503

$3.10 ¥504

-0.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 ¥643

$3.94 ¥640

0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ¥341

$6.06 ¥985

-65.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥524

$3.39 ¥551

-4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ¥556

$4.25 ¥690

-19.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥174

$1.33 ¥216

-19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥136

$0.88 ¥143

-5.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ¥633

$4.11 ¥667

-5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 ¥1,460

$7.15 ¥1,162

25.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥293

$1.81 ¥295

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥346

$2.06 ¥334

3.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 ¥405

$1.54 ¥250

61.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,851

$54.4 ¥8,839

0.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥550

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥481

$2.63 ¥427

12.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 ¥3,668

$21.83 ¥3,547

3.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥199

$1.23 ¥201

-0.81%

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

$22.0K ¥3.6M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-6.15%

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

$15.1K ¥2.5M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-16.82%

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

$143 ¥23.2K

$144 ¥23.4K

-0.65%

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

$27.48 ¥4,464

$27.88 ¥4,530

-1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 ¥5,534

$33.38 ¥5,423

2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ¥9,670

$54.9 ¥8,911

8.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥2,275

$13.72 ¥2,230

2.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 ¥2,236

$13.92 ¥2,261

-1.15%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$285 ¥46.2K

-50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥2.0M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-12.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.95 ¥6,654

$41.99 ¥6,822

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 ¥4,765

$29.44 ¥4,783

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.63 ¥6,764

$59.1 ¥9,608

-29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 ¥15.6K

$109 ¥17.8K

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ¥84.1K

$827 ¥134.4K

-37.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥51.4K

$475 ¥77.2K

-33.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ¥192.8K

$1,268 ¥206.1K

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 ¥112.4K

$834 ¥135.5K

-17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,959 ¥643.2K

$6,106 ¥992.0K

-35.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 ¥342.7K

$4,409 ¥716.3K

-52.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 ¥226.6K

$2,612 ¥424.4K

-46.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-2.44%

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

Last update for Tsukuba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Tsukuba and $827 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 87% 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: $37.00 in Tsukuba vs $41.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $327 per month, with Tsukuba 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

Tsukuba vs Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tsukuba and Yokohama differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,155 vs $1,440 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 87% lower in Yokohama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $518 in Tsukuba versus $827 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tsukuba – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $41.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,155 per month in Tsukuba versus $1,440 in Yokohama – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,155 in Tsukuba versus $1,440 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tsukuba but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Tsukuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tsukuba and Yokohama 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 Tsukuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.