Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Hirakata Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Hirakata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,401 in Yokohama versus $1,207 in Hirakata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Yokohama versus $1,887 in Hirakata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Yokohama versus $2,567 in Hirakata.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 16% more expensive than Hirakata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 5% above, Hirakata is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,100

$7.06 ¥1,129

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,648

$34.16 ¥5,464

21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥901

$5.75 ¥920

-2.09%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥514

$2.98 ¥476

7.72%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$1.13 ¥181

5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.70 ¥111

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.80 ¥448

-23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥487

$3.19 ¥511

-4.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.52 ¥243

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.43 ¥229

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$4.77 ¥764

3.98%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.40 ¥384

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,630

$10.60 ¥1,695

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,018

$6.56 ¥1,049

-3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,472

$15.30 ¥2,448

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$3.60 ¥576

69.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.09 ¥335

49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥658

$2.60 ¥415

58.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥957

$4.52 ¥724

32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$1.71 ¥274

98.83%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$1.29 ¥206

230.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$1.39 ¥222

-4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.90 ¥144

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥678

$3.51 ¥562

20.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$9.26 ¥1,481

-30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$2.10 ¥336

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.34 ¥375

-12.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.60 ¥257

-3.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$55.5 ¥8,883

-1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.43 ¥548

1.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥441

$2.88 ¥461

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,581

$17.11 ¥2,737

30.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.20 ¥192

-2.50%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-2.06%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

7.73%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$130 ¥20.8K

8.93%

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

$28.10 ¥4,495

$27.39 ¥4,381

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,542

$30.47 ¥4,874

13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$56.0 ¥8,953

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,232

$13.69 ¥2,190

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,162

$12.54 ¥2,005

7.74%

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

$283 ¥45.2K

$70.0 ¥11.2K

303.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

32.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,777

$44.58 ¥7,130

-4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,693

$29.04 ¥4,645

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,698

$56.4 ¥9,020

7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$93.0 ¥14.9K

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.3K

$476 ¥76.1K

76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥76.9K

$331 ¥53.0K

45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.0K

$861 ¥137.7K

50.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥137.9K

$668 ¥106.8K

29.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$4,432 ¥708.8K

41.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥719.8K

$2,605 ¥416.6K

72.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

$1,877 ¥300.3K

42.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

1.78

15.17%

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

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $839 in Yokohama and $476 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 42% 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: $42.00 in Yokohama vs $34.00 in Hirakata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $290 per month, with Hirakata 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

Yokohama vs Hirakata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Hirakata differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,401 vs $1,207 including rent). Hirakata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yokohama pays 42% 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: $839 in Yokohama versus $476 in Hirakata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hirakata runs roughly 2% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $283 in Yokohama versus $70.0 in Hirakata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,207 in Hirakata versus $1,401 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hirakata but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Hirakata 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, Yokohama and Hirakata 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 Hirakata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.