Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Himeji and Osaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Himeji: $1,283 a month against $1,378 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osaka outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Himeji
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,283
/mo nomad
Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Himeji and in Osaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Himeji and in Osaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,283 per month in Himeji vs $1,378 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Himeji $1,283
  • Osaka $1,378

A couple spends around $2,047 per month in Himeji vs $2,005 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Himeji $2,047
  • Osaka $2,005

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Himeji vs $2,632 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Himeji $2,811
  • Osaka $2,632

Himeji is about 7% cheaper than Osaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Himeji sits 5% below the global median, while Osaka is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.46 ¥1,336
$6.25 ¥987
35.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.07 ¥4,909
$31.70 ¥5,008
-1.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.11 ¥807
$4.90 ¥774
4.29%
Cappuccino
$2.35 ¥371
$2.95 ¥466
-20.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 ¥196
$1.44 ¥228
-13.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ¥129
$0.75 ¥119
9.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 ¥505
$2.65 ¥419
20.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 ¥483
$3.87 ¥611
-20.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ¥247
$1.44 ¥227
8.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ¥233
$1.34 ¥211
10.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.12 ¥650
$5.25 ¥830
-21.52%
Eggs
$2.18 ¥344
$2.14 ¥338
1.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.50 ¥2,449
$9.33 ¥1,475
66.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.78 ¥1,072
$9.22 ¥1,456
-26.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.88 ¥2,667
$18.39 ¥2,906
-8.21%
Apples (1kg)
$8.37 ¥1,323
$3.43 ¥541
144.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.97 ¥470
$1.92 ¥303
54.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 ¥799
$1.99 ¥314
154.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.86 ¥1,241
$4.05 ¥640
94.07%
Potato (1kg)
$3.90 ¥617
$1.56 ¥247
150.00%
Onion (1kg)
$4.70 ¥743
$1.17 ¥185
301.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ¥177
$1.30 ¥205
-13.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 ¥141
$0.88 ¥139
1.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 ¥611
$4.00 ¥631
-3.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.74 ¥1,539
$9.60 ¥1,517
1.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 ¥412
$1.95 ¥308
33.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 ¥332
$3.24 ¥512
-35.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥228
$1.39 ¥219
3.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.0 ¥8,373
$32.34 ¥5,109
63.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥494
$3.69 ¥583
-15.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.82 ¥446
$3.07 ¥486
-8.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.45 ¥2,441
$21.76 ¥3,437
-29.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ¥168
$1.09 ¥173
-1.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$22.3K ¥3.5M
-3.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
-0.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$118 ¥18.6K
$139 ¥22.0K
-15.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.44 ¥3,704
$24.50 ¥3,870
-4.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.67 ¥5,003
$30.67 ¥4,846
3.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 ¥8,314
$49.03 ¥7,746
7.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.06 ¥2,853
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.36 ¥1,795
$12.72 ¥2,010
-10.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 ¥89.1K
$510 ¥80.5K
10.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$12.9K ¥2.0M
14.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.92 ¥7,886
$48.57 ¥7,673
2.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.51 ¥5,611
$30.98 ¥4,894
14.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.6 ¥9,739
$74.2 ¥11.7K
-16.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.2 ¥15.7K
$91.5 ¥14.5K
8.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 ¥85.4K
$699 ¥110.5K
-22.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 ¥51.8K
$510 ¥80.6K
-35.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,100 ¥173.8K
$1,710 ¥270.1K
-35.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥115.2K
$772 ¥122.0K
-5.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,304 ¥680.0K
$6,183 ¥976.8K
-30.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,725 ¥272.5K
$1,908 ¥301.4K
-9.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Himeji
Osaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,424 ¥382.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
2.21
-8.60%

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

Last update for Himeji: October 18, 2026

Last update for Osaka: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Himeji
$379
Osaka
$302 20.4% $77
Accommodation & Living
Himeji
$328
Osaka
$510 55.6% $182
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Himeji
$173
Osaka
$194 12.5% $22
Eating Out
Himeji
$142
Osaka
$130 8.2% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Himeji
$111
Osaka
$110 0.4% $0.5
Getting Around
Himeji
$76
Osaka
$57 25.1% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Himeji
$75
Osaka
$74 1.2% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Himeji versus $699 in Osaka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Himeji versus $32.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $379 in Himeji vs $302 in Osaka – so Osaka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Himeji
🇯🇵 Osaka
🕒 Local time
09:21 9:21 AM
09:21 9:21 AM
Same time as Himeji
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
535,571
2,691,185
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Himeji Osaka 76 km
From you
  • Himeji
  • Osaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Himeji vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Osaka cheaper than Himeji?
Yes – Osaka is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,925 per month in Himeji and $2,067 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Himeji, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Himeji and in Osaka?
Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Osaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Himeji or in Osaka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Himeji and $32.00 in Osaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Himeji or in Osaka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Himeji, where all-in costs run around $1,283, than in Osaka at $1,378. In Himeji it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Himeji or Osaka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Himeji – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Himeji or Osaka?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Himeji. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Osaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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