Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Nagoya and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,393 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Nagoya versus $2,070 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Nagoya versus $2,747 in Osaka.

Living in Nagoya costs roughly 1% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nagoya 1% above, Osaka 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.52 ¥1,330

$6.65 ¥1,039

28.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.95 ¥5,146

$32.08 ¥5,010

2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥791

$5.25 ¥819

-3.43%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ¥399

$3.05 ¥476

-16.39%

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

$1.32 ¥207

$1.41 ¥220

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥142

$0.70 ¥109

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 ¥498

$2.79 ¥436

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ¥508

$3.88 ¥605

-16.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥249

$1.48 ¥231

8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥240

$1.31 ¥205

17.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 ¥664

$5.49 ¥858

-22.59%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥341

$2.07 ¥323

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.44 ¥2,567

$9.84 ¥1,536

67.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 ¥1,143

$9.68 ¥1,511

-24.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.32 ¥2,704

$18.58 ¥2,902

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$8.41 ¥1,314

$3.43 ¥536

145.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥489

$2.04 ¥319

53.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.02 ¥784

$2.13 ¥332

135.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.91 ¥1,236

$4.18 ¥652

89.23%

Potato (1kg)

$4.20 ¥656

$1.60 ¥250

162.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.80 ¥749

$1.21 ¥189

296.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.36 ¥212

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥147

$0.80 ¥126

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ¥618

$4.00 ¥625

-1.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 ¥1,540

$9.49 ¥1,482

3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 ¥400

$2.00 ¥313

28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥343

$3.20 ¥500

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥251

$1.41 ¥220

13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 ¥14.6K

$32.84 ¥5,129

184.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ¥518

$3.93 ¥614

-15.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 ¥464

$3.20 ¥500

-7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.97 ¥2,495

$22.17 ¥3,462

-27.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥169

$1.13 ¥176

-4.42%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.12%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

0.41%

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

$117 ¥18.2K

$140 ¥21.8K

-16.63%

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

$24.27 ¥3,791

$24.68 ¥3,855

-1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.71 ¥4,952

$31.03 ¥4,847

2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ¥8,197

$53.1 ¥8,290

-1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ¥2,218

$19.04 ¥2,973

-25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 ¥1,806

$12.30 ¥1,920

-5.93%

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

$584 ¥91.3K

$529 ¥82.6K

10.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

14.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 ¥8,199

$48.93 ¥7,642

7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 ¥5,630

$31.85 ¥4,974

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 ¥9,669

$76.1 ¥11.9K

-18.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 ¥15.6K

$94.3 ¥14.7K

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ¥83.5K

$728 ¥113.7K

-26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥57.0K

$512 ¥79.9K

-28.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 ¥191.7K

$1,753 ¥273.7K

-29.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 ¥116.1K

$778 ¥121.5K

-4.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,073 ¥323.8K

$6,376 ¥995.7K

-67.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 ¥169.9K

$1,959 ¥305.9K

-44.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,006 ¥313.3K

$2,342 ¥365.7K

-14.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

2.21

-24.89%

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

Last update for Nagoya: September 13, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Nagoya and $728 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Nagoya vs $32.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $308 per month, with Osaka 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

Nagoya vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Osaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Nagoya versus $728 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 185% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $584 in Nagoya versus $529 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,393 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagoya 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, Nagoya 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 Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.