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: $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,827 in Kamakura versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,494 in Kamakura versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Kamakura costs roughly 14% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kamakura 16% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.10 ¥950

$6.13 ¥954

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.78 ¥4,790

$30.75 ¥4,786

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 ¥782

$4.81 ¥748

4.57%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ¥382

$2.93 ¥456

-16.38%

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

$1.04 ¥161

$1.43 ¥223

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥124

$0.69 ¥108

15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ¥399

$2.63 ¥409

-2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥480

$3.64 ¥567

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.43 ¥222

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.28 ¥199

15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 ¥547

$5.25 ¥817

-33.14%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥318

$2.10 ¥327

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 ¥1,821

$9.80 ¥1,525

19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ¥951

$9.18 ¥1,429

-33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 ¥2,206

$18.09 ¥2,816

-21.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 ¥850

$3.38 ¥526

61.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 ¥430

$1.91 ¥298

44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ¥450

$1.98 ¥308

45.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ¥631

$3.89 ¥605

4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ¥400

$1.54 ¥239

66.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ¥404

$1.17 ¥182

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥180

$1.29 ¥200

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥118

$0.81 ¥127

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥599

$3.84 ¥597

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 ¥951

$9.50 ¥1,479

-35.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥269

$1.87 ¥290

-7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥325

$3.22 ¥502

-35.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.36 ¥212

5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 ¥9,509

$31.99 ¥4,979

91.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ¥490

$3.77 ¥587

-16.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 ¥395

$3.04 ¥473

-16.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.53 ¥2,417

$21.01 ¥3,270

-26.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.09 ¥170

-3.67%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

0.71%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

0.28%

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

$115 ¥17.8K

$136 ¥21.2K

-15.78%

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

$22.79 ¥3,547

$23.92 ¥3,722

-4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.02 ¥4,827

$30.63 ¥4,767

1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 ¥7,721

$48.60 ¥7,563

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥1,966

$12.04 ¥1,874

4.90%

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

$562 ¥87.5K

$520 ¥80.9K

8.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

9.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥7,665

$44.15 ¥6,872

11.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.37 ¥5,038

$29.71 ¥4,624

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 ¥9,183

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 ¥15.4K

$88.8 ¥13.8K

11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ¥81.9K

$699 ¥108.8K

-24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ¥48.4K

$507 ¥78.9K

-38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 ¥144.8K

$1,682 ¥261.8K

-44.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥129.1K

$761 ¥118.4K

8.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,636 ¥721.6K

$5,636 ¥877.2K

-17.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,794 ¥279.1K

$1,822 ¥283.6K

-1.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 ¥273.1K

$2,245 ¥349.4K

-21.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

2.21

-24.89%

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

Last update for Kamakura: September 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $526 in Kamakura and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 28% 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: $31.00 in Kamakura vs $31.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $298 per month, with Kamakura 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

Kamakura vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Osaka. 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: $526 in Kamakura versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $562 in Kamakura versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,346 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 16% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.