Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Sendai Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Sendai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,375 per month in Yokohama vs $1,199 in Sendai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Yokohama vs $1,881 in Sendai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Yokohama vs $2,563 in Sendai, rent included.

Yokohama costs about 15% more than Sendai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Yokohama sits 1% above the global median, while Sendai is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ¥1,027

$6.37 ¥995

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.14 ¥6,581

$35.25 ¥5,505

19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥819

$4.78 ¥746

9.62%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ¥559

$3.70 ¥578

-3.24%

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

$1.12 ¥175

$1.02 ¥159

9.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.87 ¥136

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ¥414

$1.97 ¥308

34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ¥494

$3.21 ¥502

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥233

$1.50 ¥235

-0.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥275

$1.48 ¥231

18.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 ¥575

$6.73 ¥1,051

-45.32%

Eggs

$2.11 ¥329

$2.11 ¥330

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 ¥1,866

$10.89 ¥1,701

9.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 ¥957

$11.92 ¥1,861

-48.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 ¥2,348

$9.10 ¥1,421

65.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 ¥898

$3.64 ¥568

57.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ¥450

$2.26 ¥353

27.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ¥474

$4.82 ¥752

-36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 ¥667

$3.22 ¥503

32.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ¥401

$2.63 ¥411

-2.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 ¥429

$2.32 ¥362

18.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥208

$1.38 ¥215

-3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$1.25 ¥195

-38.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥613

$4.57 ¥714

-14.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ¥1,003

$7.19 ¥1,123

-10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥287

$1.62 ¥253

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥323

$2.73 ¥427

-24.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ¥227

$1.49 ¥232

-2.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ¥8,940

$39.23 ¥6,127

45.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 ¥518

$5.41 ¥844

-38.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ¥414

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 ¥3,279

$18.64 ¥2,911

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.09 ¥171

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$16.5K ¥2.6M

32.39%

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

$18.8K ¥2.9M

$26.1K ¥4.1M

-27.99%

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

$138 ¥21.5K

$142 ¥22.1K

-2.84%

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

$24.34 ¥3,802

$30.64 ¥4,785

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.91 ¥5,140

$36.50 ¥5,701

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 ¥8,259

$47.35 ¥7,395

11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ¥1,838

$12.77 ¥1,995

-7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 ¥2,002

$10.24 ¥1,599

25.20%

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

$654 ¥102.2K

$230 ¥36.0K

184.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$3,835 ¥598.9K

295.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 ¥10.0K

$59.3 ¥9,263

8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 ¥5,288

$34.79 ¥5,433

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 ¥9,857

$36.48 ¥5,697

73.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥16.2K

$55.4 ¥8,650

87.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ¥184.2K

$572 ¥89.3K

106.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ¥71.5K

$345 ¥53.9K

32.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 ¥361.7K

$707 ¥110.4K

227.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 ¥138.1K

$736 ¥115.0K

20.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,991 ¥1.1M

$2,804 ¥437.9K

149.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,099 ¥640.1K

$1,455 ¥227.3K

181.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,778 ¥433.8K

$910 ¥142.1K

205.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.12

2.73

-22.34%

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

Last update for Yokohama: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sendai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,179 in Yokohama versus $572 in Sendai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 205% higher in Yokohama, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Yokohama versus $35.00 in Sendai. Groceries tell a different story – $301 in Yokohama vs $313 in Sendai – so Yokohama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sendai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama costs about 15% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Yokohama and $1,799 in Sendai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sendai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Yokohama and $35.00 in Sendai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,375 in Yokohama and $1,199 in Sendai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sendai, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Yokohama at $1,375. In Sendai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yokohama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sendai costs $1,199 versus $1,375 in Yokohama. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sendai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yokohama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.