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: $1,440 in Yokohama versus $1,209 in Hirakata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,182 in Yokohama versus $1,859 in Hirakata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,924 in Yokohama versus $2,510 in Hirakata.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 19% more expensive than in Hirakata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 8% above, Hirakata is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ¥1,158

$7.09 ¥1,152

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ¥6,685

$34.73 ¥5,643

18.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 ¥905

$5.75 ¥934

-3.13%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥519

$3.09 ¥501

3.56%

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

$1.17 ¥189

$1.09 ¥178

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.74 ¥120

9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥342

$2.83 ¥461

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥500

$3.06 ¥497

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥254

$1.59 ¥258

-1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.44 ¥234

15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 ¥811

$4.67 ¥759

6.85%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥369

$2.46 ¥399

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,654

$10.69 ¥1,737

-4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ¥1,007

$6.40 ¥1,040

-3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 ¥2,537

$15.72 ¥2,555

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥989

$3.52 ¥572

73.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ¥504

$2.12 ¥345

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ¥640

$2.60 ¥423

51.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 ¥985

$4.33 ¥704

39.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.70 ¥276

99.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.25 ¥690

$1.29 ¥209

229.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥216

$1.37 ¥222

-2.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$0.89 ¥145

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥667

$3.52 ¥572

16.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 ¥1,162

$8.96 ¥1,456

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥295

$2.06 ¥335

-12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥334

$2.26 ¥368

-8.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.61 ¥261

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,839

$54.5 ¥8,847

-0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥550

$3.37 ¥548

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 ¥427

$2.99 ¥486

-12.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.83 ¥3,547

$17.40 ¥2,827

25.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥201

$1.24 ¥202

-0.81%

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

$23.4K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.63%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

6.45%

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

$144 ¥23.4K

$135 ¥21.9K

6.86%

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

$27.88 ¥4,530

$27.31 ¥4,438

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.38 ¥5,423

$30.17 ¥4,901

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ¥8,911

$55.0 ¥8,929

-0.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ¥2,230

$14.12 ¥2,294

-2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 ¥2,261

$12.32 ¥2,002

12.99%

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

$285 ¥46.2K

$68.0 ¥11.0K

318.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$10.3K ¥1.7M

32.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.99 ¥6,822

$43.59 ¥7,082

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.44 ¥4,783

$29.09 ¥4,726

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 ¥9,608

$55.2 ¥8,972

7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥17.8K

$90.7 ¥14.7K

20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.4K

$460 ¥74.7K

79.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ¥77.2K

$333 ¥54.2K

42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 ¥206.1K

$866 ¥140.7K

46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 ¥135.5K

$651 ¥105.7K

28.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,106 ¥992.0K

$4,399 ¥714.7K

38.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,409 ¥716.3K

$2,175 ¥353.4K

102.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,612 ¥424.4K

$1,856 ¥301.5K

40.77%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Hirakata: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Yokohama and $460 in Hirakata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 41% 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: $41.00 in Yokohama vs $35.00 in Hirakata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $289 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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,440 vs $1,209 including rent). Hirakata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Yokohama, 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: $827 in Yokohama versus $460 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 0% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $285 in Yokohama versus $68.0 in Hirakata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,209 in Hirakata versus $1,440 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 19% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.