Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Nara Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Nara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,274 in Nara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,142 in Yokohama versus $1,904 in Nara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,898 in Yokohama versus $2,535 in Nara.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 9% more expensive than in Nara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 0% above, Nara is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 ¥1,000

$6.38 ¥979

2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 ¥6,433

$32.05 ¥4,922

30.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥798

$5.10 ¥784

1.96%

Cappuccino

$3.48 ¥534

$2.46 ¥377

41.46%

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

$1.12 ¥172

$1.28 ¥197

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.76 ¥117

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥389

$3.22 ¥494

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥491

$3.16 ¥486

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ¥217

$1.54 ¥237

-8.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 ¥272

$1.32 ¥202

34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 ¥560

$4.30 ¥660

-15.35%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥318

$2.24 ¥344

-7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 ¥1,851

$10.05 ¥1,543

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ¥944

$7.15 ¥1,097

-13.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 ¥2,252

$18.77 ¥2,882

-21.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 ¥905

$3.48 ¥534

69.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ¥428

$2.04 ¥314

36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥446

$2.12 ¥326

37.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥647

$4.22 ¥648

-0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ¥401

$1.54 ¥237

69.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$1.15 ¥176

133.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥204

$1.21 ¥186

9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.87 ¥133

-11.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥602

$3.96 ¥609

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ¥979

$9.74 ¥1,496

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥277

$1.99 ¥306

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥320

$2.22 ¥342

-6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥213

$1.58 ¥243

-12.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ¥8,856

$73.8 ¥11.3K

-21.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ¥484

$3.21 ¥493

-1.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 ¥403

$2.84 ¥435

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.02 ¥3,227

$15.91 ¥2,442

32.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥176

$1.08 ¥166

6.48%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$22.5K ¥3.5M

-3.66%

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

$19.0K ¥2.9M

$15.8K ¥2.4M

20.61%

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

$135 ¥20.8K

$117 ¥17.9K

15.91%

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

$25.04 ¥3,845

$25.23 ¥3,874

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.42 ¥4,978

$31.22 ¥4,794

3.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ¥7,879

$85.6 ¥13.1K

-40.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ¥1,815

$7.72 ¥1,185

53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 ¥1,977

$12.23 ¥1,878

5.31%

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

$647 ¥99.3K

$521 ¥80.0K

24.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$13.2K ¥2.0M

12.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 ¥10.0K

$49.32 ¥7,573

32.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.63 ¥5,011

$31.12 ¥4,779

4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 ¥9,708

$61.1 ¥9,378

3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥15.9K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

12.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 ¥182.9K

$414 ¥63.6K

187.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥70.6K

$346 ¥53.1K

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 ¥358.2K

$847 ¥130.1K

175.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥131.2K

$553 ¥84.9K

54.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,041 ¥1.1M

$2,786 ¥427.7K

152.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,103 ¥630.0K

$2,019 ¥310.0K

103.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 ¥420.7K

$1,139 ¥174.9K

140.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

2.01

5.47%

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

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,191 in Yokohama and $414 in Nara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 140% 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 $32.00 in Nara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $292 per month, with Nara 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 Nara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 140% 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 $414 in Nara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nara – a meal for two runs $32.00 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 $1,274 in Nara – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,274 in Nara versus $1,385 in Yokohama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Nara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yokohama, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Yokohama and Nara 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.