Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kamakura and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Kamakura versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Kamakura versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Kamakura costs roughly 6% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kamakura is 3% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ¥1,127

$6.95 ¥1,112

1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 ¥5,625

$34.58 ¥5,531

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$4.98 ¥797

13.86%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥501

$3.33 ¥532

-6.01%

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

$1.21 ¥194

$1.08 ¥173

12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.76 ¥122

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ¥331

$2.74 ¥438

-24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ¥509

$4.35 ¥695

-26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥244

$1.61 ¥257

-5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ¥281

$1.43 ¥229

22.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.02 ¥803

$4.86 ¥778

3.29%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥364

$2.46 ¥393

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 ¥2,209

$10.43 ¥1,669

32.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 ¥1,099

$6.38 ¥1,021

7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.62 ¥2,818

$18.61 ¥2,977

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 ¥946

$3.53 ¥564

67.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 ¥462

$2.19 ¥350

31.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$2.48 ¥397

64.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 ¥974

$4.31 ¥689

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 ¥523

$1.69 ¥271

93.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 ¥411

$1.28 ¥205

100.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥169

$0.85 ¥136

24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ¥545

$3.93 ¥629

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,483

$9.27 ¥1,482

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥294

$2.13 ¥340

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥383

$2.99 ¥479

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,849

$36.32 ¥5,810

52.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.56 ¥729

-23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$3.31 ¥530

-9.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.59 ¥2,814

$23.95 ¥3,830

-26.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.19 ¥191

3.36%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

0.17%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.01%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$135 ¥21.6K

6.06%

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

$26.75 ¥4,278

$27.60 ¥4,415

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.96 ¥5,432

$30.37 ¥4,858

11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ¥8,853

$59.1 ¥9,460

-6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,245

$20.39 ¥3,262

-31.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.51 ¥2,001

$12.36 ¥1,978

1.21%

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

$287 ¥45.8K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

320.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 ¥6,763

$44.08 ¥7,050

-4.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 ¥4,685

$29.47 ¥4,713

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ¥9,046

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 ¥15.0K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.2K

$717 ¥114.7K

-33.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.2K

$483 ¥77.2K

-32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 ¥138.2K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥104.9K

$807 ¥129.0K

-18.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 ¥716.7K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-24.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,206 ¥352.9K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,760 ¥281.5K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

-9.45%

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 Kamakura: May 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kamakura and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Kamakura vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $299, 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

Kamakura vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Osaka earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Kamakura versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $287 in Kamakura versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,294 in Kamakura versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kamakura is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kamakura 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 Kamakura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.