Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,843 in Hamamatsu versus $2,031 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Hamamatsu versus $2,710 in Osaka.

Living in Hamamatsu costs roughly 18% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamamatsu is 17% below, Osaka is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 ¥770

$6.95 ¥1,109

-30.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.39 ¥6,763

$34.82 ¥5,555

21.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.55 ¥567

$4.95 ¥789

-28.28%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥492

$3.32 ¥530

-7.23%

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

$0.66 ¥106

$1.09 ¥173

-39.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$0.72 ¥115

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ¥334

$2.79 ¥446

-25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ¥433

$4.37 ¥697

-37.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.58 ¥253

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥269

$1.47 ¥235

14.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 ¥772

$4.65 ¥741

4.09%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥294

$2.36 ¥377

-22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 ¥1,594

$10.40 ¥1,659

-3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,019

$6.50 ¥1,036

-1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.47 ¥2,468

$19.26 ¥3,073

-19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 ¥661

$3.63 ¥580

14.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ¥341

$2.09 ¥333

2.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 ¥567

$2.47 ¥394

44.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 ¥659

$4.35 ¥693

-5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 ¥523

$1.65 ¥263

98.79%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 ¥692

$1.30 ¥207

233.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥221

$1.34 ¥214

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.84 ¥135

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ¥557

$3.81 ¥607

-8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ¥1,542

$9.20 ¥1,468

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥282

$2.08 ¥331

-14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥327

$2.98 ¥475

-31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ¥171

$1.58 ¥252

-32.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 ¥8,901

$35.89 ¥5,727

55.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥551

$4.49 ¥716

-23.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥482

$3.39 ¥540

-10.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.35 ¥3,566

$23.90 ¥3,813

-6.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥192

$1.23 ¥197

-1.63%

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

$20.8K ¥3.3M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

-10.89%

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

$13.9K ¥2.2M

$17.2K ¥2.7M

-19.27%

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

$109 ¥17.3K

$130 ¥20.8K

-16.79%

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

$9.90 ¥1,579

$27.23 ¥4,344

-63.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 ¥3,384

$30.85 ¥4,921

-31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$103 ¥16.5K

$58.6 ¥9,343

76.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ¥2,964

$20.43 ¥3,260

-9.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.60 ¥2,170

$12.38 ¥1,975

9.85%

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

$285 ¥45.4K

$69.4 ¥11.1K

310.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

34.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.48 ¥6,617

$43.94 ¥7,010

-5.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 ¥4,439

$29.63 ¥4,727

-6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 ¥8,687

$68.8 ¥11.0K

-20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥16.6K

$94.8 ¥15.1K

10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ¥60.3K

$733 ¥117.0K

-48.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ¥38.9K

$467 ¥74.5K

-47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥140.6K

$1,275 ¥203.4K

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥93.2K

$822 ¥131.2K

-28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,566 ¥1.2M

$5,986 ¥954.9K

26.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,338 ¥851.6K

$2,086 ¥332.8K

155.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,413 ¥225.4K

$1,989 ¥317.3K

-28.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

0.95

1.81

-47.51%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: April 26, 2026

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Hamamatsu and $733 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 41% 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 Hamamatsu vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $300 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

Hamamatsu vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamamatsu and Osaka differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,110 vs $1,352 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 41% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Hamamatsu versus $733 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu 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, Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.