Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kawagoe Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kawagoe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,221 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,142 in Yokohama versus $1,977 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,898 in Yokohama versus $2,733 in Kawagoe.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 13% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 0% above, Kawagoe is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 ¥1,000

$6.63 ¥1,017

-1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 ¥6,428

$42.66 ¥6,546

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥797

$5.12 ¥786

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.48 ¥534

$3.50 ¥538

-0.57%

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

$1.12 ¥172

$0.93 ¥143

20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.50 ¥77.4

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥388

$1.93 ¥296

31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥490

$2.81 ¥431

13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ¥217

$1.19 ¥183

18.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 ¥272

$1.29 ¥198

37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 ¥559

$3.79 ¥581

-3.96%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥318

$2.13 ¥327

-2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 ¥1,850

$6.34 ¥973

90.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ¥944

$6.04 ¥927

1.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 ¥2,251

$14.80 ¥2,271

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 ¥904

$5.95 ¥912

-1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ¥428

$2.33 ¥358

19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥446

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥647

$3.23 ¥495

30.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ¥401

$2.71 ¥416

-3.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥411

$1.92 ¥295

39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥204

$1.27 ¥195

4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥602

$3.99 ¥612

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ¥978

$4.89 ¥750

30.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥277

$1.86 ¥285

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥320

$2.09 ¥321

-0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥213

$3.09 ¥474

-55.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ¥8,849

$162 ¥24.8K

-64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ¥484

$3.31 ¥508

-4.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 ¥403

$2.56 ¥393

2.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.02 ¥3,225

$21.09 ¥3,236

-0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥176

$1.11 ¥170

3.60%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$16.1K ¥2.5M

34.73%

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

$19.0K ¥2.9M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

45.21%

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

$135 ¥20.7K

$137 ¥21.0K

-1.23%

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

$25.04 ¥3,842

$22.78 ¥3,496

9.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.42 ¥4,974

$33.01 ¥5,064

-1.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ¥7,873

$44.88 ¥6,887

14.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ¥1,813

$32.59 ¥5,000

-63.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 ¥1,976

$11.43 ¥1,754

12.69%

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

$647 ¥99.2K

$325 ¥49.9K

98.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$6,361 ¥975.9K

132.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 ¥9,993

$32.02 ¥4,913

103.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.63 ¥5,007

$33.49 ¥5,139

-2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 ¥9,700

$45.80 ¥7,027

38.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥15.9K

$97.2 ¥14.9K

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 ¥182.8K

$419 ¥64.3K

184.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥70.6K

$281 ¥43.2K

63.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 ¥357.9K

$874 ¥134.1K

166.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥131.1K

$609 ¥93.4K

40.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,041 ¥1.1M

$2,546 ¥390.6K

176.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,103 ¥629.5K

$1,288 ¥197.7K

218.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 ¥420.3K

$1,638 ¥251.3K

67.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

1.6

32.50%

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

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,191 in Yokohama and $419 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 67% 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 $43.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $263, with Kawagoe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Kawagoe differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,385 vs $1,221 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $1,191 in Yokohama versus $419 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $42.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,385 per month in Yokohama versus $1,221 in Kawagoe – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,385 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe 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 Kawagoe 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 Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.