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: $1,394 in Yokohama versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Yokohama versus $2,044 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,881 in Yokohama versus $2,737 in Osaka.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 3% more expensive than Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yokohama 4% above, Osaka 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 ¥1,119

$6.95 ¥1,112

0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.18 ¥6,746

$34.23 ¥5,475

23.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 ¥911

$4.87 ¥778

17.04%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥512

$3.29 ¥527

-2.74%

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

$1.20 ¥192

$1.08 ¥174

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥127

$0.75 ¥121

5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ¥329

$2.82 ¥450

-27.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ¥509

$4.30 ¥687

-26.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥251

$1.59 ¥254

-1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.49 ¥238

12.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 ¥808

$4.68 ¥749

7.91%

Eggs

$2.20 ¥352

$2.41 ¥386

-8.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ¥1,588

$10.49 ¥1,679

-5.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ¥1,032

$6.33 ¥1,013

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.40 ¥2,463

$19.18 ¥3,068

-19.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 ¥989

$3.69 ¥590

67.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.11 ¥338

48.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 ¥632

$2.60 ¥416

51.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ¥936

$4.55 ¥727

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ¥541

$1.71 ¥274

97.66%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 ¥675

$1.25 ¥200

237.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.36 ¥218

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥132

$0.84 ¥135

-1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥646

$3.85 ¥615

4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 ¥988

$9.13 ¥1,460

-32.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥292

$2.05 ¥328

-11.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.93 ¥469

-27.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥242

$1.60 ¥256

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ¥8,741

$36.06 ¥5,768

51.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥560

$4.56 ¥729

-23.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥442

$3.38 ¥540

-18.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.09 ¥3,533

$23.20 ¥3,710

-4.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.22 ¥196

-2.46%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.27%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

7.91%

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

$140 ¥22.5K

$132 ¥21.0K

6.70%

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

$27.84 ¥4,452

$27.19 ¥4,349

2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.30 ¥5,326

$30.52 ¥4,881

9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,807

$57.3 ¥9,170

-3.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ¥2,242

$21.19 ¥3,390

-33.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 ¥2,195

$12.24 ¥1,957

12.09%

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

$287 ¥45.9K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

320.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ¥2.3M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

33.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.08 ¥6,570

$44.66 ¥7,144

-8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ¥4,650

$29.63 ¥4,740

-1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.3 ¥9,479

$68.4 ¥10.9K

-13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ¥17.9K

$96.4 ¥15.4K

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 ¥132.9K

$732 ¥117.0K

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.3K

$466 ¥74.6K

3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 ¥200.1K

$1,284 ¥205.4K

-2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥137.3K

$813 ¥130.1K

5.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,283 ¥1.0M

$6,119 ¥978.7K

2.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,419 ¥706.8K

$2,098 ¥335.5K

110.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,724 ¥435.7K

$1,968 ¥314.7K

38.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

1.81

13.26%

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

Last update for Yokohama: June 7, 2026

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $831 in Yokohama and $732 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 38% 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 $34.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $302 per month, with Osaka 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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Osaka differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $1,352 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yokohama pays 38% 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: $831 in Yokohama versus $732 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 52% less than in Yokohama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $287 in Yokohama versus $68.3 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,394 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka 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 Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.