Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Fukushima and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,283 in Fukushima versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,002 in Fukushima versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Fukushima versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Fukushima costs roughly 6% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fukushima is 4% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 ¥5,997

$34.58 ¥5,543

8.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ¥1,118

$4.98 ¥798

39.96%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ¥601

$3.33 ¥533

12.61%

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

$0.87 ¥140

$1.08 ¥173

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$0.76 ¥122

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 ¥407

$2.74 ¥439

-7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ¥510

$4.35 ¥697

-26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.61 ¥257

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ¥254

$1.43 ¥229

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 ¥748

$4.86 ¥779

-3.91%

Eggs

$2.28 ¥365

$2.46 ¥394

-7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,600

$10.43 ¥1,672

-4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,002

$6.38 ¥1,023

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 ¥2,518

$18.61 ¥2,984

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥857

$3.53 ¥565

51.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 ¥424

$2.19 ¥350

20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 ¥626

$2.48 ¥398

57.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.03 ¥967

$4.31 ¥691

39.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 ¥504

$1.69 ¥272

85.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ¥418

$1.28 ¥206

103.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.39 ¥222

-5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.85 ¥136

-2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥661

$3.93 ¥631

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ¥1,260

$9.27 ¥1,486

-15.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥306

$2.13 ¥341

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥361

$2.99 ¥480

-24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.61 ¥258

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,713

$36.32 ¥5,823

49.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥553

$4.56 ¥731

-24.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥475

$3.31 ¥531

-10.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.60 ¥3,302

$23.95 ¥3,839

-13.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.19 ¥191

-1.68%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-1.97%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

1.72%

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

$146 ¥23.3K

$135 ¥21.6K

8.02%

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

$26.64 ¥4,271

$27.60 ¥4,424

-3.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.90 ¥5,433

$30.37 ¥4,868

11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,102

$59.1 ¥9,480

-3.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.69 ¥2,194

$20.39 ¥3,269

-32.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 ¥1,997

$12.36 ¥1,982

0.81%

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

$285 ¥45.6K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

318.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

28.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.48 ¥6,809

$44.08 ¥7,065

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 ¥4,644

$29.47 ¥4,723

-1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 ¥9,448

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.4K

$717 ¥115.0K

-33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.2K

$483 ¥77.4K

-32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ¥140.5K

$1,311 ¥210.1K

-33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 ¥104.0K

$807 ¥129.3K

-19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,247 ¥680.7K

$5,951 ¥953.9K

-28.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 ¥368.6K

$2,055 ¥329.3K

11.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥311.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.81

-1.66%

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

Last update for Fukushima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Fukushima and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Fukushima vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $299 per month, with Osaka 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

Fukushima vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fukushima is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,925 in Fukushima and $2,057 in Osaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Fukushima versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,283 in Fukushima versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fukushima but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Fukushima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fukushima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fukushima and Osaka 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 Fukushima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.