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: $1,401 in Yokohama versus $1,258 in Kobe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Yokohama versus $1,901 in Kobe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Yokohama versus $2,545 in Kobe.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 11% more expensive than Kobe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 5% above, Kobe is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,100

$8.49 ¥1,358

-18.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,648

$27.56 ¥4,409

50.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥901

$4.72 ¥756

19.28%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥514

$3.07 ¥491

4.56%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$0.99 ¥159

20.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.70 ¥112

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.37 ¥379

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥487

$3.09 ¥494

-1.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.62 ¥259

-7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.28 ¥204

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$4.73 ¥756

4.86%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$1.67 ¥267

37.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,630

$13.98 ¥2,236

-27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,018

$7.68 ¥1,228

-17.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,472

$15.15 ¥2,424

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$9.17 ¥1,467

-33.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.79 ¥445

12.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥658

$4.72 ¥755

-12.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥957

$9.50 ¥1,520

-37.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$3.95 ¥632

-13.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$2.54 ¥407

67.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$1.33 ¥212

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$1.43 ¥228

-37.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥678

$3.54 ¥566

19.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$8.34 ¥1,335

-23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$2.76 ¥441

-35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.29 ¥367

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.44 ¥230

7.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$38.33 ¥6,130

42.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.57 ¥571

-2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥441

$1.29 ¥206

113.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,581

$17.35 ¥2,775

29.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.19 ¥190

-1.68%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$21.6K ¥3.5M

6.93%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$14.3K ¥2.3M

29.61%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

-0.20%

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

$28.10 ¥4,495

$27.24 ¥4,358

3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,542

$34.52 ¥5,521

0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$46.92 ¥7,505

18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,232

$20.89 ¥3,342

-33.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,162

$12.35 ¥1,975

9.39%

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

$283 ¥45.2K

$360 ¥57.6K

-21.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$11.5K ¥1.8M

19.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,777

$46.65 ¥7,461

-9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,693

$32.12 ¥5,137

-8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,698

$40.55 ¥6,487

49.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$47.69 ¥7,628

130.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.3K

$481 ¥77.0K

74.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥76.9K

$310 ¥49.7K

54.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.0K

$691 ¥110.5K

87.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥137.9K

$590 ¥94.3K

46.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$4,360 ¥697.4K

43.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥719.8K

$2,851 ¥456.0K

57.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

$1,769 ¥283.0K

51.04%

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 Kobe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $839 in Yokohama and $481 in Kobe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 51% 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 $28.00 in Kobe. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $384, 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 11% 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.

Yokohama pays 51% 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 $481 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 42% 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 $360 in Kobe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,258 in Kobe versus $1,401 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 $1,258 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 11% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.