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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,108 per month in Kagoshima vs $1,346 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,827 per month in Kagoshima vs $1,976 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,546 per month in Kagoshima vs $2,606 in Osaka, rent included.

Kagoshima is about 18% cheaper than Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kagoshima and Osaka are more affordable than the global median – Kagoshima 19% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.25 ¥972

$6.13 ¥954

1.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.23 ¥5,172

$30.75 ¥4,786

8.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥740

$4.81 ¥748

-1.04%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥473

$2.93 ¥456

3.75%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$1.43 ¥223

-28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥105

$0.69 ¥108

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 ¥382

$2.63 ¥409

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥350

$3.64 ¥567

-38.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥204

$1.43 ¥222

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ¥175

$1.28 ¥199

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.06 ¥787

$5.25 ¥817

-3.62%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥314

$2.10 ¥327

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.95 ¥2,794

$9.80 ¥1,525

83.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ¥813

$9.18 ¥1,429

-43.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 ¥2,879

$18.09 ¥2,816

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 ¥576

$3.38 ¥526

9.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥287

$1.91 ¥298

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ¥450

$1.98 ¥308

45.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$3.89 ¥605

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 ¥324

$1.54 ¥239

35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 ¥285

$1.17 ¥182

56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.29 ¥200

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥121

$0.81 ¥127

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥606

$3.84 ¥597

1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 ¥917

$9.50 ¥1,479

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ¥178

$1.87 ¥290

-39.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥295

$3.22 ¥502

-41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.36 ¥212

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ¥8,842

$31.99 ¥4,979

77.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ¥596

$3.77 ¥587

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ¥313

$3.04 ¥473

-33.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.37 ¥1,770

$21.01 ¥3,270

-45.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

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

$21.1K ¥3.3M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-1.25%

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

$17.7K ¥2.7M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

16.56%

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

$190 ¥29.6K

$136 ¥21.2K

39.72%

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

$24.50 ¥3,812

$23.92 ¥3,722

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.93 ¥4,814

$30.63 ¥4,767

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 ¥7,913

$48.60 ¥7,563

4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 ¥1,848

$12.04 ¥1,874

-1.33%

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

$127 ¥19.7K

$520 ¥80.9K

-75.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-8.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 ¥5,743

$44.15 ¥6,872

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.04 ¥3,586

$29.71 ¥4,624

-22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 ¥9,074

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.35 ¥7,369

$88.8 ¥13.8K

-46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥73.8K

$699 ¥108.8K

-32.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 ¥33.9K

$507 ¥78.9K

-57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 ¥157.4K

$1,682 ¥261.8K

-39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 ¥113.6K

$761 ¥118.4K

-4.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,611 ¥717.6K

$5,636 ¥877.2K

-18.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 ¥268.6K

$1,822 ¥283.6K

-5.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,836 ¥285.7K

$2,245 ¥349.4K

-18.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.21

-10.86%

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

Last update for Kagoshima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Kagoshima 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.

Salaries run about 22% 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 $33.00 in Kagoshima versus $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Kagoshima vs $298 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 21% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,662 per month in Kagoshima and $2,019 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 78% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $127 per month in Kagoshima and $520 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 $1,108, than in Osaka at $1,346. 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 $1,108 versus $1,346 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.