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: $1,186 in Ibaraki versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Ibaraki versus $2,044 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,537 in Ibaraki versus $2,737 in Osaka.

Living in Ibaraki costs roughly 12% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibaraki is 12% below, Osaka is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ¥1,134

$6.95 ¥1,112

2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.80 ¥5,566

$34.23 ¥5,475

1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥839

$4.87 ¥778

7.80%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥507

$3.29 ¥527

-3.65%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$1.08 ¥174

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥123

$0.75 ¥121

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ¥414

$2.82 ¥450

-8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥512

$4.30 ¥687

-25.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ¥374

$1.59 ¥254

47.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.49 ¥238

8.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 ¥546

$4.68 ¥749

-27.14%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥368

$2.41 ¥386

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ¥1,632

$10.49 ¥1,679

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$6.33 ¥1,013

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ¥2,446

$19.18 ¥3,068

-20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 ¥846

$3.69 ¥590

43.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ¥403

$2.11 ¥338

19.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 ¥657

$2.60 ¥416

58.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ¥961

$4.55 ¥727

32.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ¥483

$1.71 ¥274

76.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 ¥431

$1.25 ¥200

116.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.36 ¥218

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥125

$0.84 ¥135

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ¥670

$3.85 ¥615

8.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 ¥1,330

$9.13 ¥1,460

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥418

$2.05 ¥328

27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥349

$2.93 ¥469

-25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 ¥294

$1.60 ¥256

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,973

$36.06 ¥5,768

55.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ¥836

$4.56 ¥729

14.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 ¥468

$3.38 ¥540

-13.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.68 ¥3,308

$23.20 ¥3,710

-10.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥199

$1.22 ¥196

2.46%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.76%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-1.11%

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

$145 ¥23.3K

$132 ¥21.0K

10.52%

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

$26.69 ¥4,268

$27.19 ¥4,349

-1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 ¥5,446

$30.52 ¥4,881

11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,069

$57.3 ¥9,170

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 ¥2,221

$21.19 ¥3,390

-34.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,976

$12.24 ¥1,957

0.98%

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

$279 ¥44.7K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

309.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

25.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.50 ¥4,718

$44.66 ¥7,144

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 ¥4,742

$29.63 ¥4,740

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ¥11.5K

$68.4 ¥10.9K

5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ¥13.8K

$96.4 ¥15.4K

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ¥68.8K

$732 ¥117.0K

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ¥45.6K

$466 ¥74.6K

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ¥137.6K

$1,284 ¥205.4K

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 ¥91.4K

$813 ¥130.1K

-29.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,080 ¥652.6K

$6,119 ¥978.7K

-33.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 ¥396.4K

$2,098 ¥335.5K

18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 ¥407.5K

$1,968 ¥314.7K

29.48%

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 Ibaraki: June 7, 2026

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Ibaraki and $732 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ibaraki vs $34.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $302 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

Ibaraki vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibaraki and Osaka differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,186 vs $1,352 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ibaraki pays 29% more on average, 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: $430 in Ibaraki versus $732 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 7% 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 $35.00 versus $34.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,186 in Ibaraki versus $1,352 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 14% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.