Cost of Living in Kobe, Japan (2026-08)
Overview
Kobe is a prefectural capital in the Kinki region of Japan. Population about 1,500,000. The latest overall CPI (2026-08) stands at 113.9 on a 2020 = 100 base, +2.4% year on year and +280.9% over the past 57 years. That is -0.3% versus the national average of 114.3, so prices run lower. Among the 52 cities tracked here, it ranks #28 by price level.
What to know
Kinki region · prefectural capital (e-Stat area code 28A01)
Overall 113.9 · YoY +2.4% · 57y +280.9% · #28 of 52
Open the calculator to estimate a monthly budget for this city in your home currency.
This month the highest indices are food (129.7) and household goods (124.8), while the lowest are education (91.4) and transport & communications (100.1). The latest +2.4% year-on-year reading is cooling relative to the +4.9% annual average of the past 57 years. Because category weights such as housing and food shape what living here actually feels like, use the chart and table below to follow the trajectory.
5-year price trend
Latest CPI by category (2020 = 100)
| Category | CPI (2026-08) |
|---|---|
| Food | 129.7 |
| Housing | 106.2 |
| Utilities (fuel & water) | 108.3 |
| Furniture & household | 124.8 |
| Clothing & footwear | 113.7 |
| Medical care | 105.9 |
| Transport & communication | 100.1 |
| Education | 91.4 |
| Culture & recreation | 118.8 |
| Miscellaneous | 107.7 |