Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nishinomiya and Osaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Nishinomiya: $1,257 a month against $1,378 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osaka outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nishinomiya
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,257
/mo nomad
Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nishinomiya and in Osaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nishinomiya and in Osaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,257 per month in Nishinomiya vs $1,378 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Nishinomiya $1,257
  • Osaka $1,378

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,005 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Nishinomiya $2,020
  • Osaka $2,005

A family of three spends $2,783 per month in Nishinomiya vs $2,632 in Osaka, rent included.

  • Nishinomiya $2,783
  • Osaka $2,632

Nishinomiya is about 9% cheaper than Osaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nishinomiya sits 7% below the global median, while Osaka is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.71 ¥1,377
$6.25 ¥987
39.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.81 ¥5,025
$31.70 ¥5,008
0.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.02 ¥794
$4.90 ¥774
2.45%
Cappuccino
$2.26 ¥358
$2.95 ¥466
-23.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 ¥185
$1.44 ¥228
-18.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ¥99.4
$0.75 ¥119
-16.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.09 ¥331
$2.65 ¥419
-21.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 ¥353
$3.87 ¥611
-42.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.44 ¥227
3.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 ¥236
$1.34 ¥211
11.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.61 ¥886
$5.25 ¥830
6.86%
Eggs
$2.14 ¥338
$2.14 ¥338
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.69 ¥2,005
$9.33 ¥1,475
36.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.42 ¥1,489
$9.22 ¥1,456
2.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$31.74 ¥5,015
$18.39 ¥2,906
72.59%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 ¥810
$3.43 ¥541
49.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 ¥286
$1.92 ¥303
-5.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.04 ¥480
$1.99 ¥314
52.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.01 ¥949
$4.05 ¥640
48.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 ¥256
$1.56 ¥247
3.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 ¥400
$1.17 ¥185
116.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ¥179
$1.30 ¥205
-13.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 ¥149
$0.88 ¥139
6.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.41 ¥538
$4.00 ¥631
-14.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.56 ¥1,511
$9.60 ¥1,517
-0.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 ¥371
$1.95 ¥308
20.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 ¥240
$3.24 ¥512
-53.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 ¥237
$1.39 ¥219
7.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.1 ¥8,392
$32.34 ¥5,109
64.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 ¥510
$3.69 ¥583
-12.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.81 ¥444
$3.07 ¥486
-8.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.51 ¥2,450
$21.76 ¥3,437
-28.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$1.09 ¥173
0.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K ¥3.1M
$22.3K ¥3.5M
-11.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.0K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
-0.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 ¥18.4K
$139 ¥22.0K
-16.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.12 ¥3,653
$24.50 ¥3,870
-5.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.51 ¥4,819
$30.67 ¥4,846
-0.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 ¥9,820
$49.03 ¥7,746
26.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.06 ¥2,853
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.49 ¥1,816
$12.72 ¥2,010
-9.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$323 ¥51.0K
$510 ¥80.5K
-36.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,082 ¥960.9K
$12.9K ¥2.0M
-52.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33 ¥7,793
$48.57 ¥7,673
1.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.09 ¥3,964
$30.98 ¥4,894
-19.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.56 ¥7,356
$74.2 ¥11.7K
-37.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.4 ¥10.2K
$91.5 ¥14.5K
-29.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 ¥82.6K
$699 ¥110.5K
-25.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 ¥51.9K
$510 ¥80.6K
-35.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 ¥175.9K
$1,710 ¥270.1K
-34.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$751 ¥118.6K
$772 ¥122.0K
-2.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,265 ¥673.9K
$6,183 ¥976.8K
-31.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,735 ¥274.1K
$1,908 ¥301.4K
-9.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nishinomiya
Osaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,977 ¥312.4K
$2,424 ¥382.9K
-18.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.02
2.21
-8.60%

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

Last update for Nishinomiya: October 17, 2026

Last update for Osaka: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nishinomiya
$380
Osaka
$302 20.5% $78
Accommodation & Living
Nishinomiya
$328
Osaka
$510 55.4% $182
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nishinomiya
$170
Osaka
$194 14.1% $24
Eating Out
Nishinomiya
$134
Osaka
$130 3.2% $4.2
Sport & Entertainment
Nishinomiya
$85
Osaka
$74 12.5% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Nishinomiya
$83
Osaka
$110 32.3% $27
Getting Around
Nishinomiya
$76
Osaka
$57 25.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Nishinomiya 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.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Osaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Nishinomiya versus $32.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $380 in Nishinomiya vs $302 in Osaka – so Osaka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Nishinomiya
🇯🇵 Osaka
🕒 Local time
11:30 11:30 AM
11:30 11:30 AM
Same time as Nishinomiya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
488,873
2,691,185
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nishinomiya Osaka 15 km
From you
  • Nishinomiya
  • Osaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nishinomiya vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Osaka cheaper than Nishinomiya?
Yes – Osaka is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,886 per month in Nishinomiya and $2,067 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nishinomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nishinomiya or in Osaka?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Nishinomiya and $32.00 in Osaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nishinomiya and in Osaka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,257 in Nishinomiya and $1,378 in Osaka. That's a gap of about 10%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nishinomiya or in Osaka?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nishinomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,257, than in Osaka at $1,378. In Nishinomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nishinomiya or Osaka more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nishinomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nishinomiya or Osaka?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nishinomiya. 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.

Nishinomiya vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?