Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maebashi and Osaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Maebashi: $1,209 a month against $1,378 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osaka outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Maebashi
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,209
/mo nomad
Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maebashi and in Osaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maebashi and in Osaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Maebashi vs $1,378 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Maebashi $1,209
  • Osaka $1,378

A couple spends around $1,960 per month in Maebashi vs $2,005 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Maebashi $1,960
  • Osaka $2,005

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Maebashi vs $2,632 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Maebashi $2,710
  • Osaka $2,632

Maebashi is about 12% cheaper than Osaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Maebashi sits 11% below the global median, while Osaka is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.28 ¥676
$6.25 ¥987
-31.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.99 ¥5,054
$31.70 ¥5,008
0.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥774
$4.90 ¥774
-
Cappuccino
$2.40 ¥379
$2.95 ¥466
-18.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥124
$1.44 ¥228
-45.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ¥101
$0.75 ¥119
-14.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 ¥358
$2.65 ¥419
-14.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 ¥493
$3.87 ¥611
-19.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥194
$1.44 ¥227
-14.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 ¥242
$1.34 ¥211
14.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 ¥204
$5.25 ¥830
-75.43%
Eggs
$1.63 ¥258
$2.14 ¥338
-23.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.82 ¥2,499
$9.33 ¥1,475
69.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.65 ¥734
$9.22 ¥1,456
-49.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.15 ¥2,710
$18.39 ¥2,906
-6.74%
Apples (1kg)
$8.56 ¥1,353
$3.43 ¥541
149.56%
Banana (1kg)
$3.06 ¥483
$1.92 ¥303
59.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.07 ¥801
$1.99 ¥314
154.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.89 ¥1,246
$4.05 ¥640
94.81%
Potato (1kg)
$4.01 ¥633
$1.56 ¥247
157.05%
Onion (1kg)
$4.73 ¥747
$1.17 ¥185
304.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ¥187
$1.30 ¥205
-9.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 ¥71.7
$0.88 ¥139
-48.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 ¥614
$4.00 ¥631
-2.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.58 ¥1,513
$9.60 ¥1,517
-0.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 ¥411
$1.95 ¥308
33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 ¥345
$3.24 ¥512
-32.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥227
$1.39 ¥219
3.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ¥8,553
$32.34 ¥5,109
67.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 ¥490
$3.69 ¥583
-15.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.80 ¥443
$3.07 ¥486
-8.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.64 ¥4,998
$21.76 ¥3,437
45.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.09 ¥173
-3.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$22.3K ¥3.5M
-1.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
1.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 ¥18.3K
$139 ¥22.0K
-16.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.92 ¥3,621
$24.50 ¥3,870
-6.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.65 ¥5,000
$30.67 ¥4,846
3.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 ¥8,099
$49.03 ¥7,746
4.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.84 ¥5,030
$18.06 ¥2,853
76.30%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 ¥1,762
$12.72 ¥2,010
-12.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 ¥90.8K
$510 ¥80.5K
12.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$12.9K ¥2.0M
14.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9 ¥8,044
$48.57 ¥7,673
4.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.04 ¥5,693
$30.98 ¥4,894
16.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$59.7 ¥9,424
$74.2 ¥11.7K
-19.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.7 ¥15.3K
$91.5 ¥14.5K
5.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 ¥85.4K
$699 ¥110.5K
-22.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$327 ¥51.7K
$510 ¥80.6K
-35.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 ¥173.4K
$1,710 ¥270.1K
-35.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$745 ¥117.7K
$772 ¥122.0K
-3.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 ¥660.9K
$6,183 ¥976.8K
-32.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,757 ¥277.6K
$1,908 ¥301.4K
-7.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maebashi
Osaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,686 ¥266.4K
$2,424 ¥382.9K
-30.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
2.21
-8.60%

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

Last update for Maebashi: October 20, 2026

Last update for Osaka: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Maebashi
$351
Osaka
$302 14% $49
Accommodation & Living
Maebashi
$327
Osaka
$510 56.1% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maebashi
$170
Osaka
$194 14.1% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Maebashi
$109
Osaka
$110 0.8% $0.9
Eating Out
Maebashi
$101
Osaka
$130 28.6% $29
Getting Around
Maebashi
$77
Osaka
$57 26.1% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Maebashi
$74
Osaka
$74 1.2% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Maebashi 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 44% 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 $32.00 in Maebashi versus $32.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Maebashi vs $302 in Osaka – so Osaka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Maebashi
🇯🇵 Osaka
🕒 Local time
20:36 8:36 PM
20:36 8:36 PM
Same time as Maebashi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
324,644
2,691,185
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maebashi Osaka 370 km
From you
  • Maebashi
  • Osaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Maebashi vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Osaka cheaper than Maebashi?
Yes – Osaka is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Maebashi and $2,067 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maebashi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Maebashi or in Osaka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Maebashi and $32.00 in Osaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Maebashi and in Osaka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Maebashi and $1,378 in Osaka. That's a gap of about 14%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Maebashi or in Osaka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maebashi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Osaka at $1,378. In Maebashi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Maebashi or Osaka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Maebashi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Maebashi or Osaka?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Maebashi. 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.

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