Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagasaki and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagasaki and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,393 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,844 in Nagasaki versus $2,070 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,470 in Nagasaki versus $2,747 in Osaka.

Living in Nagasaki costs roughly 13% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nagasaki is 11% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 ¥813

$6.65 ¥1,038

-21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 ¥2,979

$32.08 ¥5,006

-40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥792

$5.25 ¥818

-3.24%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥532

$3.05 ¥476

11.80%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$1.41 ¥220

-27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥101

$0.70 ¥109

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ¥347

$2.79 ¥435

-20.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥363

$3.88 ¥605

-39.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥245

$1.48 ¥231

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥307

$1.31 ¥205

50.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 ¥982

$5.49 ¥857

14.75%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥335

$2.07 ¥323

3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ¥1,524

$9.84 ¥1,535

-0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥501

$9.68 ¥1,510

-66.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 ¥3,059

$18.58 ¥2,900

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 ¥577

$3.43 ¥535

7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥286

$2.04 ¥319

-9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ¥467

$2.13 ¥332

40.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ¥522

$4.18 ¥651

-20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$1.60 ¥250

43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$1.21 ¥189

111.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.36 ¥212

-18.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.80 ¥125

26.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ¥633

$4.00 ¥625

1.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ¥993

$9.49 ¥1,481

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$2.00 ¥313

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥303

$3.20 ¥499

-39.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ¥210

$1.41 ¥220

-4.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,125

$32.84 ¥5,124

78.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ¥618

$3.93 ¥614

0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥326

$3.20 ¥499

-34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ¥2,912

$22.17 ¥3,459

-15.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-0.06%

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

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

14.98%

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

$195 ¥30.4K

$140 ¥21.8K

39.47%

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

$25.63 ¥3,999

$24.68 ¥3,851

3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.84 ¥5,437

$31.03 ¥4,842

12.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 ¥7,531

$53.1 ¥8,282

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 ¥1,756

$12.30 ¥1,918

-8.54%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$529 ¥82.5K

-75.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-6.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.36 ¥5,986

$48.93 ¥7,635

-21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 ¥3,854

$31.85 ¥4,969

-22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,522

$76.1 ¥11.9K

-19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 ¥7,552

$94.3 ¥14.7K

-48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥78.9K

$728 ¥113.6K

-30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ¥48.7K

$512 ¥79.8K

-38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 ¥161.1K

$1,753 ¥273.5K

-41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ¥121.1K

$778 ¥121.4K

-0.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ¥584.9K

$6,376 ¥994.8K

-41.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥283.4K

$1,959 ¥305.6K

-7.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.85

2.21

-16.29%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Nagasaki and $728 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Nagasaki vs $32.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $308 per month, with Nagasaki cheaper across the board.

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

Nagasaki vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Nagasaki and $2,089 in Osaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Nagasaki versus $728 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $32.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,393 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagasaki is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nagasaki and Osaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.