Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Matsuyama and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Matsuyama vs $1,346 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,854 per month in Matsuyama vs $1,976 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,540 per month in Matsuyama vs $2,606 in Osaka, rent included.

Matsuyama is about 13% cheaper than Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Matsuyama and Osaka are more affordable than the global median – Matsuyama 15% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥958

$6.13 ¥957

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.80 ¥4,187

$30.75 ¥4,804

-12.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥811

$4.81 ¥751

7.90%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ¥444

$2.93 ¥458

-3.07%

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

$1.04 ¥163

$1.43 ¥224

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥111

$0.69 ¥108

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ¥379

$2.63 ¥411

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ¥489

$3.64 ¥569

-14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥229

$1.43 ¥223

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥257

$1.28 ¥200

28.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 ¥679

$5.25 ¥820

-17.14%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥291

$2.10 ¥329

-11.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 ¥1,990

$9.80 ¥1,531

30.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 ¥907

$9.18 ¥1,435

-36.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 ¥2,459

$18.09 ¥2,827

-12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ¥706

$3.38 ¥528

33.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 ¥345

$1.91 ¥299

15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 ¥489

$1.98 ¥309

58.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 ¥592

$3.89 ¥608

-2.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥360

$1.54 ¥240

49.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 ¥345

$1.17 ¥183

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ¥196

$1.29 ¥201

-3.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ¥691

$3.84 ¥600

15.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 ¥1,169

$9.50 ¥1,484

-21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ¥307

$1.87 ¥292

4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ¥355

$3.22 ¥504

-29.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 ¥234

$1.36 ¥213

10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,646

$31.99 ¥4,998

72.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥555

$3.77 ¥589

-5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 ¥431

$3.04 ¥475

-9.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.94 ¥2,490

$21.01 ¥3,282

-24.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥190

$1.09 ¥171

11.93%

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

$19.3K ¥3.0M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-9.89%

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

$16.1K ¥2.5M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

6.57%

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

$131 ¥20.5K

$136 ¥21.3K

-3.60%

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

$26.21 ¥4,095

$23.92 ¥3,736

9.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.89 ¥4,826

$30.63 ¥4,785

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.74 ¥6,989

$48.60 ¥7,592

-7.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 ¥1,847

$12.04 ¥1,881

-1.74%

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

$498 ¥77.8K

$520 ¥81.2K

-4.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ¥1.8M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-13.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ¥8,178

$44.15 ¥6,898

18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.39 ¥4,278

$29.71 ¥4,641

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.6 ¥8,212

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-27.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 ¥14.8K

$88.8 ¥13.9K

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥74.4K

$699 ¥109.2K

-31.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ¥49.0K

$507 ¥79.2K

-38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 ¥181.2K

$1,682 ¥262.7K

-31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 ¥100.0K

$761 ¥118.9K

-15.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,948 ¥616.8K

$5,636 ¥880.4K

-29.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 ¥306.6K

$1,822 ¥284.6K

7.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

2.21

-6.79%

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

Last update for Matsuyama: August 31, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Matsuyama 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Matsuyama versus $31.00 in Osaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $298 – making Matsuyama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Matsuyama vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,169 in Matsuyama, $1,346 in Osaka – roughly 15% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Matsuyama 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 Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $498 per month in Matsuyama and $520 in Osaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Osaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,169 in Matsuyama to $1,346 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 Matsuyama. 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.