Cost of Living Comparison Between Kagoshima and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kagoshima and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Kagoshima vs $1,330 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,903 per month in Kagoshima vs $2,038 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Kagoshima vs $2,746 in Osaka, rent included.

Kagoshima is about 11% cheaper than Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kagoshima sits 11% below the global median, while Osaka is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 ¥1,347

$7.07 ¥1,149

17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 ¥6,637

$34.92 ¥5,674

16.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥956

$4.76 ¥773

23.74%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥495

$3.22 ¥523

-5.28%

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

$1.08 ¥176

$1.10 ¥179

-1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥131

$0.71 ¥115

12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 ¥265

$2.84 ¥462

-42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥340

$4.21 ¥683

-50.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ¥217

$1.54 ¥250

-12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ¥204

$1.43 ¥232

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥660

$4.62 ¥751

-12.12%

Eggs

$2.40 ¥389

$2.44 ¥396

-1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 ¥1,609

$10.56 ¥1,716

-6.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 ¥982

$6.57 ¥1,068

-8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.85 ¥3,387

$18.71 ¥3,041

11.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 ¥495

$3.69 ¥599

-17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥220

$2.11 ¥343

-35.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$2.47 ¥401

-42.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 ¥973

$4.54 ¥738

31.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ¥375

$1.64 ¥267

40.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ¥334

$1.30 ¥212

58.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ¥160

$1.37 ¥223

-28.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥122

$0.87 ¥142

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥618

$3.87 ¥629

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 ¥954

$9.15 ¥1,487

-35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ¥207

$2.10 ¥342

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥341

$2.87 ¥466

-26.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥242

$1.67 ¥271

-10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥9,039

$35.74 ¥5,807

55.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 ¥769

$4.62 ¥751

2.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥486

$3.27 ¥532

-8.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 ¥2,019

$23.47 ¥3,814

-47.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥197

$1.18 ¥191

2.54%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

0.43%

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

$19.9K ¥3.2M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

15.37%

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

$211 ¥34.3K

$134 ¥21.8K

57.14%

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

$26.94 ¥4,377

$27.44 ¥4,458

-1.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 ¥5,882

$30.41 ¥4,941

19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,208

$57.8 ¥9,396

-2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 ¥2,232

$21.18 ¥3,441

-35.13%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 ¥2,212

$12.32 ¥2,002

10.47%

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

$409 ¥66.5K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

500.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

25.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.51 ¥6,906

$44.49 ¥7,229

-4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.17 ¥4,740

$29.52 ¥4,796

-1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 ¥10.9K

$66.7 ¥10.8K

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 ¥9,890

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥77.1K

$727 ¥118.1K

-34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ¥38.7K

$476 ¥77.3K

-49.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥138.5K

$1,301 ¥211.3K

-34.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥107.3K

$827 ¥134.3K

-20.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,841 ¥786.5K

$5,911 ¥960.3K

-18.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 ¥359.5K

$2,051 ¥333.2K

7.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,826 ¥296.7K

$1,865 ¥303.0K

-2.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

1.81

-7.73%

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

Last update for Kagoshima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Kagoshima versus $727 in Osaka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Osaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Kagoshima versus $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $279 in Kagoshima vs $300 in Osaka – so Kagoshima wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kagoshima vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka costs about 12% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,781 per month in Kagoshima and $1,994 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kagoshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $409 per month in Kagoshima and $68.2 in Osaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Osaka at $1,330. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,188 versus $1,330 in Osaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kagoshima. 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.