Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Tsukuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Yokohama and Tsukuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,401 in Yokohama versus $1,148 in Tsukuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,170 in Yokohama versus $1,829 in Tsukuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Yokohama versus $2,511 in Tsukuba.

Living in Yokohama is roughly 22% more expensive than Tsukuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yokohama is 5% above, Tsukuba is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,100

$4.24 ¥678

62.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.57 ¥6,648

$36.23 ¥5,795

14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 ¥901

$5.42 ¥867

3.87%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥514

$2.83 ¥452

13.43%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$0.92 ¥147

29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥119

$0.81 ¥130

-8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.99 ¥318

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥487

$3.05 ¥488

-0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.56 ¥250

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥282

$1.74 ¥279

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$2.50 ¥401

98.40%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.20 ¥353

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ¥1,630

$8.30 ¥1,328

22.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ¥1,018

$6.07 ¥972

4.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,472

$11.14 ¥1,782

38.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$5.90 ¥943

3.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$3.03 ¥485

3.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥658

$3.93 ¥629

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥957

$2.05 ¥328

191.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ¥543

$3.39 ¥542

0.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 ¥682

$3.46 ¥553

23.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥213

$1.07 ¥172

24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.86 ¥138

3.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥678

$4.00 ¥641

6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$9.42 ¥1,506

-31.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥284

$1.74 ¥279

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.06 ¥330

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 ¥248

$2.49 ¥399

-37.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,716

$54.4 ¥8,697

0.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥557

$3.44 ¥551

1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥441

$2.89 ¥462

-4.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 ¥3,581

$21.87 ¥3,499

2.38%

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

$21.4K ¥3.4M

8.20%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$15.4K ¥2.5M

20.72%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$141 ¥22.6K

0.43%

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

$28.10 ¥4,495

$27.94 ¥4,469

0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.65 ¥5,542

$34.60 ¥5,535

0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$60.2 ¥9,624

-7.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 ¥2,232

$13.79 ¥2,206

1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 ¥2,162

$13.60 ¥2,175

-0.66%

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

$283 ¥45.2K

$136 ¥21.8K

107.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$11.9K ¥1.9M

15.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.37 ¥6,777

$41.80 ¥6,685

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.34 ¥4,693

$29.96 ¥4,792

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,698

$42.14 ¥6,741

43.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.6K

$96.0 ¥15.3K

14.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥134.3K

$503 ¥80.4K

67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ¥76.9K

$317 ¥50.8K

51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 ¥207.0K

$1,188 ¥190.0K

8.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥137.9K

$697 ¥111.4K

23.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 ¥1.0M

$4,365 ¥698.2K

43.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,500 ¥719.8K

$2,137 ¥341.8K

110.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,672 ¥427.5K

$1,413 ¥226.1K

89.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

2.50%

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

Last update for Yokohama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tsukuba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $839 in Yokohama and $503 in Tsukuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 89% 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 $36.00 in Tsukuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $278 per month, with Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yokohama and Tsukuba differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,401 vs $1,148 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yokohama pays 89% 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: $839 in Yokohama versus $503 in Tsukuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tsukuba – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $42.00 in Yokohama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,401 per month in Yokohama versus $1,148 in Tsukuba – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,148 in Tsukuba versus $1,401 in Yokohama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tsukuba but tight or insufficient in Yokohama. The gap between the two cities makes Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Yokohama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.