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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,401 per month in Yokohama vs $1,237 in Sendai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,170 per month in Yokohama vs $1,903 in Sendai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Yokohama vs $2,569 in Sendai, rent included.

Yokohama costs about 13% more than Sendai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yokohama sits 5% above the global median, while Sendai is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,103

$6.67 ¥1,069

3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,663

$34.00 ¥5,451

22.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥903

$4.92 ¥789

14.43%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥515

$3.83 ¥614

-16.19%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$1.57 ¥251

-24.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.75 ¥120

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$3.55 ¥569

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥488

$3.39 ¥544

-10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥240

$1.48 ¥237

1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.18 ¥190

49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥795

$3.85 ¥618

28.83%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥369

$1.87 ¥300

22.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,634

$10.16 ¥1,628

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,020

$7.43 ¥1,191

-14.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,477

$9.43 ¥1,512

63.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥976

$5.36 ¥859

13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥502

$2.30 ¥369

36.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥660

$4.95 ¥794

-16.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥959

$3.62 ¥581

65.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥544

$2.62 ¥420

29.77%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥683

$1.98 ¥318

115.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$1.14 ¥183

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥143

$0.81 ¥130

9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥679

$4.88 ¥782

-13.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,028

$6.94 ¥1,113

-7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$2.13 ¥341

-16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.71 ¥435

-24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$1.71 ¥274

-9.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,734

$49.39 ¥7,917

10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥558

$5.60 ¥898

-37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥442

$1.36 ¥217

102.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,589

$20.16 ¥3,231

11.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.18 ¥189

-0.85%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$20.7K ¥3.3M

11.78%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$28.2K ¥4.5M

-34.16%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$173 ¥27.7K

-18.13%

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

$28.10 ¥4,504

$23.14 ¥3,709

21.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,554

$31.51 ¥5,051

9.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,948

$55.1 ¥8,824

1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,237

$13.93 ¥2,233

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,166

$12.32 ¥1,974

9.66%

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

$283 ¥45.3K

$314 ¥50.4K

-10.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$6,305 ¥1.0M

118.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,791

$61.9 ¥9,920

-31.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,703

$38.89 ¥6,233

-24.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,719

$51.7 ¥8,290

17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$76.6 ¥12.3K

43.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.6K

$446 ¥71.5K

88.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥77.1K

$326 ¥52.3K

47.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.4K

$825 ¥132.3K

56.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥138.2K

$633 ¥101.4K

36.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$2,656 ¥425.8K

135.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥721.4K

$1,419 ¥227.5K

217.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥428.4K

$1,134 ¥181.8K

135.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-31.67%

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

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Yokohama versus $446 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 136% 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 $34.00 in Sendai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $280 – making Sendai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 13% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,101 per month in Yokohama and $1,856 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 $34.00 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 $1,401 in Yokohama and $1,237 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 $1,237, than in Yokohama at $1,401. 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 $1,237 versus $1,401 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.