Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Morioka and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Morioka vs $1,346 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Morioka vs $1,976 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,565 per month in Morioka vs $2,606 in Osaka, rent included.

Morioka is about 10% cheaper than Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Morioka and Osaka are more affordable than the global median – Morioka 12% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 ¥976

$6.13 ¥954

2.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.59 ¥4,916

$30.75 ¥4,786

2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥775

$4.81 ¥748

3.53%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥471

$2.93 ¥456

3.41%

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

$1.09 ¥170

$1.43 ¥223

-23.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥122

$0.69 ¥108

14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 ¥395

$2.63 ¥409

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥478

$3.64 ¥567

-15.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥236

$1.28 ¥199

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 ¥647

$5.25 ¥817

-20.76%

Eggs

$1.99 ¥309

$2.10 ¥327

-5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 ¥1,952

$9.80 ¥1,525

27.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 ¥984

$9.18 ¥1,429

-31.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 ¥2,384

$18.09 ¥2,816

-15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥814

$3.38 ¥526

54.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ¥359

$1.91 ¥298

20.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ¥457

$1.98 ¥308

47.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 ¥603

$3.89 ¥605

-0.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$1.54 ¥239

62.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 ¥323

$1.17 ¥182

77.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.29 ¥200

9.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.81 ¥127

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ¥553

$3.84 ¥597

-7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 ¥1,190

$9.50 ¥1,479

-19.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥275

$1.87 ¥290

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥327

$3.22 ¥502

-34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥232

$1.36 ¥212

9.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 ¥8,664

$31.99 ¥4,979

74.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ¥480

$3.77 ¥587

-18.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥449

$3.04 ¥473

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 ¥2,948

$21.01 ¥3,270

-9.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.09 ¥170

0.92%

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

$18.7K ¥2.9M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-12.46%

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

$15.1K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-0.49%

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

$131 ¥20.4K

$136 ¥21.2K

-3.55%

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

$24.26 ¥3,776

$23.92 ¥3,722

1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.31 ¥4,717

$30.63 ¥4,767

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.94 ¥6,995

$48.60 ¥7,563

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,927

$12.04 ¥1,874

2.82%

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

$481 ¥74.8K

$520 ¥80.9K

-7.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.1M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

3.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 ¥7,690

$44.15 ¥6,872

11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 ¥5,372

$29.71 ¥4,624

16.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 ¥10.6K

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 ¥13.2K

$88.8 ¥13.8K

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ¥71.6K

$699 ¥108.8K

-34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ¥51.5K

$507 ¥78.9K

-34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 ¥190.1K

$1,682 ¥261.8K

-27.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 ¥113.0K

$761 ¥118.4K

-4.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,627 ¥720.2K

$5,636 ¥877.2K

-17.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ¥298.4K

$1,822 ¥283.6K

5.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

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 Morioka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Morioka 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 $32.00 in Morioka versus $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Morioka vs $298 in Osaka – so Morioka 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

Morioka vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Morioka, $1,346 in Osaka – roughly 11% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Morioka 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 Morioka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $32.00 in Morioka and $31.00 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 Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Morioka 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 $1,209 in Morioka 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 Morioka. 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.