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: $1,229 in Fukushima versus $1,393 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Fukushima versus $2,070 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,641 in Fukushima versus $2,747 in Osaka.

Living in Fukushima costs roughly 12% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fukushima is 10% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 ¥1,018

$6.65 ¥1,038

-1.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.03 ¥5,154

$32.08 ¥5,006

2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ¥797

$5.25 ¥818

-2.67%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥486

$3.05 ¥476

2.30%

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

$1.19 ¥185

$1.41 ¥220

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.70 ¥109

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 ¥425

$2.79 ¥435

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ¥505

$3.88 ¥605

-16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ¥267

$1.48 ¥231

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥237

$1.31 ¥205

16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 ¥653

$5.49 ¥857

-23.86%

Eggs

$1.83 ¥285

$2.07 ¥323

-11.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,557

$9.84 ¥1,535

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ¥965

$9.68 ¥1,510

-36.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 ¥2,657

$18.58 ¥2,900

-8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ¥798

$3.43 ¥535

49.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 ¥347

$2.04 ¥319

9.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ¥423

$2.13 ¥332

27.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 ¥739

$4.18 ¥651

13.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥423

$1.60 ¥250

69.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$1.21 ¥189

111.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ¥175

$1.36 ¥212

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥121

$0.80 ¥125

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥533

$4.00 ¥625

-14.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ¥1,284

$9.49 ¥1,481

-13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥272

$2.00 ¥313

-13.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ¥380

$3.20 ¥499

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥232

$1.41 ¥220

5.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 ¥8,095

$32.84 ¥5,124

57.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ¥482

$3.93 ¥614

-21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 ¥394

$3.20 ¥499

-21.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 ¥3,073

$22.17 ¥3,459

-11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥192

$1.13 ¥176

8.85%

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

$20.5K ¥3.2M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-8.43%

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

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-14.70%

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

$155 ¥24.2K

$140 ¥21.8K

11.04%

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

$26.94 ¥4,204

$24.68 ¥3,851

9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.11 ¥5,635

$31.03 ¥4,842

16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ¥8,713

$53.1 ¥8,282

5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 ¥2,169

$12.30 ¥1,918

13.01%

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

$515 ¥80.4K

$529 ¥82.5K

-2.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-6.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.34 ¥7,386

$48.93 ¥7,635

-3.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥5,833

$31.85 ¥4,969

17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 ¥9,938

$76.1 ¥11.9K

-16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 ¥15.5K

$94.3 ¥14.7K

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.1K

$728 ¥113.6K

-30.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.8K

$512 ¥79.8K

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 ¥182.4K

$1,753 ¥273.5K

-33.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 ¥124.0K

$778 ¥121.4K

2.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 ¥626.6K

$6,376 ¥994.8K

-37.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,035 ¥317.6K

$1,959 ¥305.6K

3.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.21

-5.43%

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

Last update for Fukushima: September 13, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Fukushima and $728 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Fukushima vs $32.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $308, with Fukushima cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,843 in Fukushima and $2,089 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: $507 in Fukushima versus $728 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Fukushima – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $32.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,229 in Fukushima versus $1,393 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 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.