Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,421 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,142 in Yokohama versus $2,048 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,898 in Yokohama versus $2,675 in Osaka.

Living in Yokohama costs roughly 3% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yokohama 0% above, Osaka 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 ¥1,000

$6.40 ¥983

1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 ¥6,433

$32.97 ¥5,063

27.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥798

$5.24 ¥805

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$3.48 ¥534

$2.95 ¥452

17.97%

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

$1.12 ¥172

$1.42 ¥218

-21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.75 ¥115

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥389

$2.67 ¥410

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥491

$3.99 ¥613

-19.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ¥217

$1.47 ¥226

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 ¥272

$1.38 ¥212

28.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 ¥560

$5.60 ¥861

-35.00%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥318

$2.10 ¥323

-1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 ¥1,851

$9.98 ¥1,532

20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ¥944

$9.54 ¥1,465

-35.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 ¥2,252

$18.71 ¥2,873

-21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 ¥905

$3.47 ¥533

69.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ¥428

$1.98 ¥303

40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥446

$2.05 ¥315

41.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 ¥647

$4.02 ¥617

4.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ¥401

$1.60 ¥246

63.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥412

$1.19 ¥183

125.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥204

$1.39 ¥214

-4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.85 ¥130

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥602

$3.97 ¥610

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ¥979

$9.49 ¥1,457

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥277

$1.91 ¥293

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥320

$3.28 ¥504

-36.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥213

$1.39 ¥214

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ¥8,856

$32.85 ¥5,044

75.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ¥484

$3.80 ¥583

-17.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 ¥403

$3.34 ¥512

-21.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.02 ¥3,227

$21.84 ¥3,354

-3.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥176

$1.10 ¥168

4.55%

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

$21.7K ¥3.3M

$22.6K ¥3.5M

-4.10%

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

$19.0K ¥2.9M

$15.2K ¥2.3M

25.17%

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

$135 ¥20.8K

$141 ¥21.6K

-4.08%

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

$25.04 ¥3,845

$25.14 ¥3,860

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.42 ¥4,978

$31.21 ¥4,792

3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ¥7,879

$54.4 ¥8,347

-5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ¥1,815

$18.69 ¥2,871

-36.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 ¥1,977

$12.38 ¥1,902

4.04%

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

$647 ¥99.3K

$526 ¥80.8K

22.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$13.2K ¥2.0M

12.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 ¥10.0K

$49.05 ¥7,532

32.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.63 ¥5,011

$31.73 ¥4,873

2.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 ¥9,708

$74.4 ¥11.4K

-15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥15.9K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 ¥182.9K

$717 ¥110.1K

66.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥70.6K

$524 ¥80.5K

-12.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 ¥358.2K

$1,746 ¥268.1K

33.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥131.2K

$798 ¥122.6K

7.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,041 ¥1.1M

$6,373 ¥978.6K

10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,103 ¥630.0K

$1,960 ¥300.9K

109.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 ¥420.7K

$2,336 ¥358.7K

17.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

2.21

-4.07%

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

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,191 in Yokohama and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Yokohama vs $33.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $309, 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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Osaka differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,385 vs $1,421 including rent). Yokohama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yokohama runs roughly 76% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $647 in Yokohama versus $526 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yokohama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Yokohama 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 Osaka 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 Yokohama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.