Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Oita versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,610 in Oita versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,253 in Oita versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Oita costs roughly 28% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Oita 30% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 ¥775

$6.13 ¥957

-19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.11 ¥6,579

$30.75 ¥4,804

36.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥896

$4.81 ¥751

19.33%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ¥302

$2.93 ¥458

-33.79%

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

$1.06 ¥166

$1.43 ¥224

-25.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥95.8

$0.69 ¥108

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.63 ¥411

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥335

$3.64 ¥569

-41.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥206

$1.43 ¥223

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.28 ¥200

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 ¥972

$5.25 ¥820

18.48%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥342

$2.10 ¥329

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 ¥477

$9.80 ¥1,531

-68.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 ¥853

$9.18 ¥1,435

-40.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 ¥1,960

$18.09 ¥2,827

-30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥342

$3.38 ¥528

-35.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥198

$1.91 ¥299

-33.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ¥247

$1.98 ¥309

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ¥312

$3.89 ¥608

-48.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.54 ¥240

-19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.17 ¥183

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ¥142

$1.29 ¥201

-29.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥153

$0.81 ¥127

20.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥594

$3.84 ¥600

-1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥980

$9.50 ¥1,484

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥246

$1.87 ¥292

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥293

$3.22 ¥504

-41.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.36 ¥213

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,682

$31.99 ¥4,998

73.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ¥627

$3.77 ¥589

6.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ¥315

$3.04 ¥475

-33.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 ¥2,742

$21.01 ¥3,282

-16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.09 ¥171

0.92%

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

$21.2K ¥3.3M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-0.69%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

12.31%

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

$49.78 ¥7,776

$136 ¥21.3K

-63.44%

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

$25.01 ¥3,908

$23.92 ¥3,736

4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.56 ¥5,086

$30.63 ¥4,785

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 ¥7,750

$48.60 ¥7,592

2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ¥1,485

$12.04 ¥1,881

-21.10%

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

$123 ¥19.3K

$520 ¥81.2K

-76.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-8.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.43 ¥5,848

$44.15 ¥6,898

-15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.59 ¥3,685

$29.71 ¥4,641

-20.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 ¥9,275

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-18.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.28 ¥7,230

$88.8 ¥13.9K

-47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ¥73.0K

$699 ¥109.2K

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥50.0K

$507 ¥79.2K

-36.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 ¥168.1K

$1,682 ¥262.7K

-36.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥112.0K

$761 ¥118.9K

-5.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,407 ¥688.4K

$5,636 ¥880.4K

-21.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,908 ¥298.1K

$1,822 ¥284.6K

4.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$992 ¥154.9K

$2,245 ¥350.7K

-55.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

2.21

-10.86%

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

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Oita and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 126% 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 Oita vs $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $298, with Oita cheaper for home cooking.

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

Oita vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Osaka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 126% 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: $468 in Oita versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $123 in Oita versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $968 in Oita versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oita delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $968 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oita hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Oita 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 Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.