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: $1,353 in Nagoya versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,135 in Nagoya versus $2,044 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,916 in Nagoya versus $2,737 in Osaka.

Monthly costs are close between Nagoya and Osaka; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ¥1,092

$6.95 ¥1,112

-1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 ¥5,547

$34.23 ¥5,475

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥893

$4.87 ¥778

14.78%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥489

$3.29 ¥527

-6.99%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$1.08 ¥174

10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥121

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.82 ¥450

-24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥513

$4.30 ¥687

-25.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ¥262

$1.59 ¥254

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥286

$1.49 ¥238

20.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥777

$4.68 ¥749

3.85%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥353

$2.41 ¥386

-8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,625

$10.49 ¥1,679

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$6.33 ¥1,013

1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 ¥2,436

$19.18 ¥3,068

-20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$9.22 ¥1,475

$3.69 ¥590

149.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 ¥458

$2.11 ¥338

35.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 ¥625

$2.60 ¥416

50.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 ¥992

$4.55 ¥727

36.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ¥638

$1.71 ¥274

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$1.25 ¥200

115.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.36 ¥218

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥223

$0.84 ¥135

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ¥566

$3.85 ¥615

-8.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 ¥1,496

$9.13 ¥1,460

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$2.05 ¥328

-11.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$2.93 ¥469

-30.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 ¥271

$1.60 ¥256

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.6 ¥11.3K

$36.06 ¥5,768

95.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ¥568

$4.56 ¥729

-22.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 ¥457

$3.38 ¥540

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 ¥2,819

$23.20 ¥3,710

-24.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥188

$1.22 ¥196

-4.10%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.81%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.34%

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

$140 ¥22.3K

$132 ¥21.0K

6.09%

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

$27.18 ¥4,347

$27.19 ¥4,349

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.43 ¥5,506

$30.52 ¥4,881

12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ¥9,041

$57.3 ¥9,170

-1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.79 ¥3,004

$21.19 ¥3,390

-11.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 ¥1,994

$12.24 ¥1,957

1.88%

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

$467 ¥74.7K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

583.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ¥1.8M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

5.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.91 ¥7,342

$44.66 ¥7,144

2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.46 ¥4,712

$29.63 ¥4,740

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.2 ¥8,984

$68.4 ¥10.9K

-17.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 ¥14.6K

$96.4 ¥15.4K

-5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ¥95.7K

$732 ¥117.0K

-18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥66.2K

$466 ¥74.6K

-11.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ¥211.2K

$1,284 ¥205.4K

2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥136.3K

$813 ¥130.1K

4.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,538 ¥405.9K

$6,119 ¥978.7K

-58.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ¥178.7K

$2,098 ¥335.5K

-46.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,906 ¥304.9K

$1,968 ¥314.7K

-3.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.81

-1.66%

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

Last update for Nagoya: June 6, 2026

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Nagoya and $732 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35.00 in Nagoya vs $34.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $302 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

On paper, Osaka earns 3% less. 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: $598 in Nagoya versus $732 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 96% less than in Nagoya. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Nagoya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,353 in Nagoya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Nagoya. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Osaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nagoya, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Osaka wins on affordability, Nagoya on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.