Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Narita and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Narita versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,921 in Narita versus $2,044 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,604 in Narita versus $2,737 in Osaka.

Living in Narita costs roughly 8% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Narita is 8% below, Osaka is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 ¥869

$6.95 ¥1,112

-21.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ¥6,694

$34.23 ¥5,475

22.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ¥783

$4.87 ¥778

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥495

$3.29 ¥527

-5.78%

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

$0.81 ¥129

$1.08 ¥174

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥121

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥326

$2.82 ¥450

-27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥491

$4.30 ¥687

-28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.59 ¥254

-22.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ¥149

$1.49 ¥238

-37.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.94 ¥791

$4.68 ¥749

5.56%

Eggs

$2.18 ¥349

$2.41 ¥386

-9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ¥1,637

$10.49 ¥1,679

-2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ¥992

$6.33 ¥1,013

-2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 ¥2,431

$19.18 ¥3,068

-20.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$3.69 ¥590

62.06%

Banana (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$2.11 ¥338

52.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 ¥640

$2.60 ¥416

53.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ¥961

$4.55 ¥727

32.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 ¥536

$1.71 ¥274

95.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.29 ¥687

$1.25 ¥200

243.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥212

$1.36 ¥218

-2.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥132

$0.84 ¥135

-1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ¥527

$3.85 ¥615

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ¥1,494

$9.13 ¥1,460

2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥281

$2.05 ¥328

-14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ¥323

$2.93 ¥469

-31.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ¥258

$1.60 ¥256

1.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥8,966

$36.06 ¥5,768

55.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥541

$4.56 ¥729

-25.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 ¥258

$3.38 ¥540

-52.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.98 ¥3,516

$23.20 ¥3,710

-5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥178

$1.22 ¥196

-9.02%

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

$20.5K ¥3.3M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-13.06%

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

$18.5K ¥3.0M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

7.06%

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

$145 ¥23.2K

$132 ¥21.0K

10.26%

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

$27.90 ¥4,462

$27.19 ¥4,349

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.00 ¥4,958

$30.52 ¥4,881

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,082

$57.3 ¥9,170

-0.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 ¥2,207

$21.19 ¥3,390

-34.87%

Cinema Ticket

$12.59 ¥2,014

$12.24 ¥1,957

2.86%

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

$286 ¥45.8K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

319.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

29.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.20 ¥6,590

$44.66 ¥7,144

-7.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.35 ¥4,695

$29.63 ¥4,740

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 ¥9,431

$68.4 ¥10.9K

-13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ¥18.1K

$96.4 ¥15.4K

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 ¥80.3K

$732 ¥117.0K

-31.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ¥54.5K

$466 ¥74.6K

-26.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 ¥140.7K

$1,284 ¥205.4K

-31.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ¥107.1K

$813 ¥130.1K

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,028 ¥644.2K

$6,119 ¥978.7K

-34.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,454 ¥392.4K

$2,098 ¥335.5K

16.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,264 ¥202.2K

$1,968 ¥314.7K

-35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

1.81

13.26%

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

Last update for Narita: June 9, 2026

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Narita and $732 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 56% 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: $42.00 in Narita vs $34.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 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

Narita vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Osaka earns 56% 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: $502 in Narita versus $732 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $286 in Narita versus $68.3 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Narita versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Narita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Narita 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, Narita 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 Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.