Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitakyushu and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitakyushu and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,347 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,974 per month in Kitakyushu vs $2,036 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,669 per month in Kitakyushu vs $2,725 in Osaka, rent included.

Kitakyushu is about 5% cheaper than Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Kitakyushu sits 4% below the global median, while Osaka is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ¥1,157

$6.75 ¥1,064

8.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.29 ¥6,506

$35.24 ¥5,553

17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ¥779

$4.75 ¥749

4.00%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥504

$3.29 ¥518

-2.74%

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

$1.09 ¥172

$1.10 ¥173

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥118

$0.76 ¥120

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥414

$2.82 ¥445

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ¥480

$4.41 ¥695

-30.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥244

$1.59 ¥250

-2.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥259

$1.44 ¥227

13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 ¥676

$4.78 ¥753

-10.25%

Eggs

$2.55 ¥401

$2.33 ¥367

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 ¥1,612

$10.61 ¥1,671

-3.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ¥989

$6.39 ¥1,007

-1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ¥3,300

$18.87 ¥2,973

10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 ¥506

$3.66 ¥577

-12.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥214

$2.12 ¥334

-35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥223

$2.52 ¥396

-44.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 ¥519

$4.44 ¥699

-25.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥427

$1.67 ¥262

62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 ¥499

$1.26 ¥199

151.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ¥145

$1.33 ¥209

-30.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥119

$0.87 ¥138

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥605

$3.96 ¥625

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 ¥979

$9.05 ¥1,426

-31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥307

$2.03 ¥320

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥331

$2.90 ¥458

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ¥259

$1.59 ¥250

3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,718

$35.37 ¥5,574

56.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 ¥717

$4.45 ¥700

2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 ¥460

$3.35 ¥528

-12.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.38 ¥3,054

$23.70 ¥3,734

-18.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥193

$1.19 ¥188

3.36%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.1K ¥3.6M

-1.36%

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

$20.0K ¥3.2M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

18.90%

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

$216 ¥34.0K

$135 ¥21.3K

59.81%

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

$27.59 ¥4,348

$27.52 ¥4,336

0.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.33 ¥5,566

$30.63 ¥4,826

15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ¥8,829

$57.2 ¥9,020

-2.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 ¥2,148

$21.14 ¥3,331

-35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 ¥2,203

$12.25 ¥1,930

14.12%

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

$408 ¥64.2K

$68.0 ¥10.7K

499.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.1M

$10.5K ¥1.6M

29.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.79 ¥6,742

$44.66 ¥7,037

-4.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,600

$28.96 ¥4,563

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 ¥10.3K

$68.6 ¥10.8K

-4.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 ¥9,524

$96.6 ¥15.2K

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥73.6K

$721 ¥113.6K

-35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥52.7K

$474 ¥74.6K

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥136.6K

$1,298 ¥204.5K

-33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 ¥104.5K

$818 ¥128.9K

-18.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,260 ¥671.3K

$5,971 ¥940.9K

-28.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,070 ¥326.1K

$2,029 ¥319.7K

2.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 ¥230.5K

$1,868 ¥294.3K

-21.68%

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 Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Kitakyushu versus $721 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 28% 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 Kitakyushu versus $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Kitakyushu vs $300 in Osaka – so Kitakyushu 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

Kitakyushu vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Kitakyushu, $1,347 in Osaka – roughly 5% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,918 per month in Kitakyushu and $2,020 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Osaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Kitakyushu and $35.00 in Osaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Osaka at $1,347. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Kitakyushu to $1,347 in Osaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kitakyushu. 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.