Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Otsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Otsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,440 in Yokohama versus $1,223 in Otsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,182 in Yokohama versus $1,920 in Otsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,924 in Yokohama versus $2,617 in Otsu.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 18% more expensive than in Otsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ¥1,158

$8.50 ¥1,382

-16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.15 ¥6,685

$34.39 ¥5,587

19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 ¥905

$5.47 ¥888

1.83%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥519

$3.01 ¥490

6.31%

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

$1.17 ¥189

$0.91 ¥149

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.72 ¥117

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥342

$3.45 ¥560

-38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥500

$3.20 ¥520

-3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥254

$1.69 ¥275

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.71 ¥278

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 ¥811

$3.10 ¥503

60.97%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥369

$2.34 ¥379

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ¥1,654

$9.56 ¥1,554

6.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ¥1,007

$7.71 ¥1,253

-19.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 ¥2,537

$15.61 ¥2,537

0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥989

$5.46 ¥887

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ¥504

$2.60 ¥422

19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ¥640

$4.83 ¥785

-18.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 ¥985

$3.94 ¥641

53.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$1.60 ¥260

111.87%

Onion (1kg)

$4.25 ¥690

$2.37 ¥385

79.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥216

$1.31 ¥212

1.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥143

$1.01 ¥164

-12.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥667

$4.06 ¥660

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 ¥1,162

$9.06 ¥1,472

-21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥295

$1.80 ¥292

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥334

$2.40 ¥390

-14.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.59 ¥258

-3.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,839

$54.9 ¥8,916

-0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥550

$3.44 ¥559

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 ¥427

$2.93 ¥475

-10.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.83 ¥3,547

$17.07 ¥2,773

27.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥201

$1.19 ¥194

3.36%

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

$23.4K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

2.55%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

6.37%

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

$144 ¥23.4K

$110 ¥17.9K

30.61%

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

$27.88 ¥4,530

$26.63 ¥4,326

4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.38 ¥5,423

$33.78 ¥5,488

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ¥8,911

$54.9 ¥8,916

-0.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ¥2,230

$13.64 ¥2,216

0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 ¥2,261

$12.54 ¥2,037

11.00%

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

$285 ¥46.2K

$374 ¥60.7K

-23.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$7,474 ¥1.2M

83.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.99 ¥6,822

$45.41 ¥7,378

-7.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.44 ¥4,783

$31.67 ¥5,146

-7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 ¥9,608

$56.1 ¥9,119

5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥17.8K

$92.5 ¥15.0K

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.4K

$468 ¥76.1K

76.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ¥77.2K

$323 ¥52.5K

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 ¥206.1K

$856 ¥139.1K

48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 ¥135.5K

$669 ¥108.8K

24.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,106 ¥992.0K

$4,318 ¥701.6K

41.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,409 ¥716.3K

$2,079 ¥337.7K

112.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,612 ¥424.4K

$1,769 ¥287.5K

47.63%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Otsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Yokohama and $468 in Otsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 48% 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: $41.00 in Yokohama vs $34.00 in Otsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $311 per month, with Otsu 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Otsu wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Yokohama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Otsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $827 in Yokohama versus $468 in Otsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $285 in Yokohama versus $374 in Otsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Yokohama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,223 in Otsu versus $1,440 in Yokohama, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Otsu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Otsu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Yokohama and Otsu 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 Otsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.