Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kobe Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Kobe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Yokohama versus $1,327 in Kobe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,073 in Yokohama versus $2,001 in Kobe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,806 in Yokohama versus $2,675 in Kobe.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 1% more expensive than in Kobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yokohama 2% lower, Kobe 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 ¥969

$7.59 ¥1,186

-18.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.57 ¥6,807

$31.22 ¥4,877

39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 ¥762

$4.92 ¥768

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥527

$2.39 ¥373

41.00%

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

$1.04 ¥163

$1.18 ¥184

-11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥124

$0.61 ¥95.2

29.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ¥379

$1.99 ¥311

22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ¥485

$2.26 ¥354

37.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ¥215

$1.50 ¥234

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥256

$1.25 ¥196

31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 ¥571

$4.21 ¥657

-13.06%

Eggs

$2.05 ¥321

$2.00 ¥313

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 ¥1,801

$12.31 ¥1,923

-6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 ¥949

$6.71 ¥1,048

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 ¥2,236

$16.76 ¥2,618

-14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 ¥898

$7.88 ¥1,231

-27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 ¥440

$3.06 ¥478

-8.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ¥458

$4.84 ¥756

-39.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 ¥642

$7.57 ¥1,183

-45.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 ¥394

$3.64 ¥569

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥405

$3.41 ¥532

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.16 ¥181

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥124

$0.94 ¥147

-15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.45 ¥539

5.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ¥993

$8.22 ¥1,284

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥278

$1.99 ¥311

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥309

$1.49 ¥233

32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.47 ¥229

-4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 ¥8,836

$62.1 ¥9,705

-8.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ¥503

$3.20 ¥499

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 ¥388

$3.10 ¥484

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.42 ¥3,191

$26.70 ¥4,171

-23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.05 ¥164

5.71%

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

$20.8K ¥3.2M

$20.0K ¥3.1M

4.09%

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

$18.2K ¥2.8M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

20.12%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$117 ¥18.2K

11.20%

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

$23.66 ¥3,697

$22.98 ¥3,589

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 ¥4,929

$31.37 ¥4,901

0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 ¥7,928

$46.74 ¥7,302

8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.57 ¥1,807

$11.48 ¥1,793

0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 ¥1,989

$11.27 ¥1,761

12.95%

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

$621 ¥96.9K

$319 ¥49.8K

94.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$6,068 ¥947.9K

137.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 ¥9,530

$48.89 ¥7,638

24.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 ¥5,021

$25.13 ¥3,925

27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ¥9,413

$46.37 ¥7,244

29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥15.8K

$65.3 ¥10.2K

54.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 ¥177.7K

$693 ¥108.3K

64.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ¥70.1K

$460 ¥71.8K

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ¥355.1K

$1,054 ¥164.6K

115.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 ¥130.6K

$732 ¥114.3K

14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,574 ¥1.0M

$4,301 ¥672.0K

52.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,057 ¥633.7K

$2,859 ¥446.6K

41.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 ¥407.9K

$1,736 ¥271.3K

50.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

1.66

27.71%

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

Last update for Yokohama: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kobe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,137 in Yokohama and $693 in Kobe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 50% 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: $44.00 in Yokohama vs $31.00 in Kobe. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $351, with Yokohama 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 Kobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kobe wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Yokohama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kobe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $1,137 in Yokohama versus $693 in Kobe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kobe runs roughly 10% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $621 in Yokohama versus $319 in Kobe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,327 in Kobe versus $1,340 in Yokohama, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kobe but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Kobe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kobe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,327 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kobe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Yokohama and Kobe 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 Kobe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.