Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,393 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Ibaraki versus $2,070 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Ibaraki versus $2,747 in Osaka.

Living in Ibaraki costs roughly 15% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibaraki is 14% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ¥1,034

$6.65 ¥1,038

-0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ¥4,975

$32.08 ¥5,006

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥827

$5.25 ¥818

0.95%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥488

$3.05 ¥476

2.62%

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

$1.16 ¥181

$1.41 ¥220

-17.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.70 ¥109

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥395

$2.79 ¥435

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$3.88 ¥605

-17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 ¥437

$1.48 ¥231

89.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.31 ¥205

18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$5.49 ¥857

-20.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥328

$2.07 ¥323

1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ¥1,746

$9.84 ¥1,535

13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ¥1,033

$9.68 ¥1,510

-31.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 ¥2,711

$18.58 ¥2,900

-6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ¥765

$3.43 ¥535

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 ¥366

$2.04 ¥319

15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ¥495

$2.13 ¥332

48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 ¥675

$4.18 ¥651

3.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$1.60 ¥250

58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ¥378

$1.21 ¥189

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.36 ¥212

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.80 ¥125

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥590

$4.00 ¥625

-5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ¥1,177

$9.49 ¥1,481

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥287

$2.00 ¥313

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥345

$3.20 ¥499

-30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥258

$1.41 ¥220

17.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 ¥9,159

$32.84 ¥5,124

78.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ¥749

$3.93 ¥614

22.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 ¥444

$3.20 ¥499

-10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 ¥3,079

$22.17 ¥3,459

-11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥182

$1.13 ¥176

3.54%

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

$22.3K ¥3.5M

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-0.35%

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

$15.4K ¥2.4M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-1.28%

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

$134 ¥20.8K

$140 ¥21.8K

-4.51%

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

$24.24 ¥3,783

$24.68 ¥3,851

-1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.64 ¥4,936

$31.03 ¥4,842

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ¥8,121

$53.1 ¥8,282

-1.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 ¥1,863

$12.30 ¥1,918

-2.93%

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

$552 ¥86.1K

$529 ¥82.5K

4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.82 ¥4,185

$48.93 ¥7,635

-45.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.01 ¥5,150

$31.85 ¥4,969

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥10.6K

$76.1 ¥11.9K

-11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ¥12.6K

$94.3 ¥14.7K

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥63.3K

$728 ¥113.6K

-44.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ¥41.4K

$512 ¥79.8K

-48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 ¥161.3K

$1,753 ¥273.5K

-41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥84.4K

$778 ¥121.4K

-30.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,081 ¥636.8K

$6,376 ¥994.8K

-35.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 ¥317.3K

$1,959 ¥305.6K

3.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,572 ¥401.2K

$2,342 ¥365.4K

9.81%

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 Ibaraki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Ibaraki and $728 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ibaraki vs $32.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $308, with Osaka 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

Ibaraki vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibaraki and Osaka differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $1,393 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Ibaraki, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $405 in Ibaraki versus $728 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

At $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,393 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ibaraki but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ibaraki 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, Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.