Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,235 per month in Maia vs $1,346 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,797 per month in Maia vs $1,976 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,359 per month in Maia vs $2,606 in Osaka, rent included.

Maia costs about 66% more than Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maia sits 63% above the global median, while Osaka is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.03 €11.21

$6.13 ¥957

112.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 €44.10

$30.75 ¥4,804

66.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 €8.14

$4.81 ¥751

96.67%

Cappuccino

$2.08 €1.79

$2.93 ¥458

-29.01%

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

$2.00 €1.72

$1.43 ¥224

39.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$0.69 ¥108

124.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 €1.95

$2.63 ¥411

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.64 ¥569

9.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.43 ¥223

-16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.28 ¥200

35.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$5.25 ¥820

-68.95%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.57

$2.10 ¥329

41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$9.80 ¥1,531

37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 €7.30

$9.18 ¥1,435

-7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 €13.05

$18.09 ¥2,827

-16.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.38 ¥528

-32.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.91 ¥299

-6.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.98 ¥309

10.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.89 ¥608

-37.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.54 ¥240

53.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.17 ¥183

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.29 ¥201

-20.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.81 ¥127

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$3.84 ¥600

85.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.11

$9.50 ¥1,484

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.87 ¥292

-27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.26

$3.22 ¥504

-18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.36 ¥213

93.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.36 €39.89

$31.99 ¥4,998

44.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.77 ¥589

26.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.32

$3.04 ¥475

-49.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.03

$21.01 ¥3,282

-16.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.09 ¥171

92.66%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

$21.4K ¥3.3M

56.45%

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

$39.2K €33.8K

$15.1K ¥2.4M

159.00%

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

$109 €93.5

$136 ¥21.3K

-20.16%

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

$20.79 €17.89

$23.92 ¥3,736

-13.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.03 €34.44

$30.63 ¥4,785

30.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.93 €40.38

$48.60 ¥7,592

-3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.35 €29.56

$17.90 ¥2,797

91.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.62

$12.04 ¥1,881

-26.50%

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

$456 €392

$520 ¥81.2K

-12.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,576 €5,659

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-50.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €102

$44.15 ¥6,898

167.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.22 €19.98

$29.71 ¥4,641

-21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 €67.7

$72.6 ¥11.3K

8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$88.8 ¥13.9K

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €942

$699 ¥109.2K

56.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 €1,195

$507 ¥79.2K

173.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 €1,495

$1,682 ¥262.7K

3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 €1,114

$761 ¥118.9K

70.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,084 €2,654

$5,636 ¥880.4K

-45.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 €1,501

$1,822 ¥284.6K

-4.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,457 €1,254

$2,245 ¥350.7K

-35.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

2.21

64.71%

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

Last update for Maia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,095 in Maia 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 54% higher in Osaka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Maia versus $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Maia vs $298 in Osaka – so Maia 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

Maia vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maia costs about 66% more than Osaka, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,353 per month in Maia 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 Osaka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Maia and $31.00 in Osaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,235 in Maia and $1,346 in Osaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Osaka, where all-in costs run around $1,346, than in Maia at $2,235. In Osaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osaka costs $1,346 versus $2,235 in Maia. 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 Osaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.