Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oita and Osaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Oita: $1,309 a month against $1,378 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $830 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osaka outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Oita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,309
/mo nomad
Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oita 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 Oita and in Osaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,309 in Oita versus $1,378 in Osaka.

  • Oita $1,309
  • Osaka $1,378

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Oita versus $2,005 in Osaka.

  • Oita $2,033
  • Osaka $2,005

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,757 in Oita versus $2,632 in Osaka.

  • Oita $2,757
  • Osaka $2,632

Living in Oita costs roughly 5% less than in Osaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oita is 3% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.42 ¥1,172
$6.25 ¥987
18.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.27 ¥6,677
$31.70 ¥5,008
33.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.91 ¥934
$4.90 ¥774
20.61%
Cappuccino
$3.74 ¥591
$2.95 ¥466
26.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 ¥159
$1.44 ¥228
-30.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$0.75 ¥119
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ¥593
$2.65 ¥419
41.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ¥355
$3.87 ¥611
-41.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ¥248
$1.44 ¥227
9.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 ¥304
$1.34 ¥211
44.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.61 ¥1,044
$5.25 ¥830
25.90%
Eggs
$2.30 ¥364
$2.14 ¥338
7.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.89 ¥2,827
$9.33 ¥1,475
91.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.49 ¥867
$9.22 ¥1,456
-40.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.89 ¥2,985
$18.39 ¥2,906
2.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 ¥565
$3.43 ¥541
4.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 ¥286
$1.92 ¥303
-5.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 ¥451
$1.99 ¥314
43.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 ¥540
$4.05 ¥640
-15.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 ¥340
$1.56 ¥247
37.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 ¥404
$1.17 ¥185
118.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ¥163
$1.30 ¥205
-20.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥143
$0.88 ¥139
3.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 ¥613
$4.00 ¥631
-3.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 ¥1,001
$9.60 ¥1,517
-33.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥270
$1.95 ¥308
-12.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ¥292
$3.24 ¥512
-42.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Oita
Osaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 ¥239
$1.39 ¥219
8.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 ¥8,409
$32.34 ¥5,109
64.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 ¥617
$3.69 ¥583
5.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 ¥329
$3.07 ¥486
-32.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.07 ¥2,855
$21.76 ¥3,437
-16.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥167
$1.09 ¥173
-3.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$22.3K ¥3.5M
-1.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K ¥2.8M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
16.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ¥33.9K
$139 ¥22.0K
54.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.34 ¥3,846
$24.50 ¥3,870
-0.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.96 ¥5,365
$30.67 ¥4,846
10.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 ¥8,104
$49.03 ¥7,746
4.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.06 ¥2,853
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.12 ¥1,757
$12.72 ¥2,010
-12.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 ¥20.0K
$510 ¥80.5K
-75.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K ¥1.9M
$12.9K ¥2.0M
-4.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.06 ¥7,751
$48.57 ¥7,673
1.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11 ¥4,126
$30.98 ¥4,894
-15.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.0 ¥10.3K
$74.2 ¥11.7K
-12.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.12 ¥7,445
$91.5 ¥14.5K
-48.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oita
Osaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 ¥82.6K
$699 ¥110.5K
-25.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ¥53.0K
$510 ¥80.6K
-34.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,094 ¥172.9K
$1,710 ¥270.1K
-35.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 ¥114.2K
$772 ¥122.0K
-6.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,285 ¥677.0K
$6,183 ¥976.8K
-30.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 ¥277.2K
$1,908 ¥301.4K
-8.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oita
Osaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,424 ¥382.9K
-
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: October 18, 2026

Last update for Osaka: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oita
$336
Osaka
$510 52.1% $175
Groceries & Markets
Oita
$317
Osaka
$302 4.9% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oita
$273
Osaka
$194 28.7% $78
Eating Out
Oita
$152
Osaka
$130 14.7% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Oita
$84
Osaka
$110 31% $26
Getting Around
Oita
$74
Osaka
$57 22.6% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Oita
$74
Osaka
$74 1.3% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Oita and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Oita vs $32.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $302 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Oita
🇯🇵 Osaka
🕒 Local time
06:13 6:13 AM
06:13 6:13 AM
Same time as Oita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
475,614
2,691,185
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Oita Osaka 390 km
From you
  • Oita
  • 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
Oita vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oita or Osaka?
Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 5% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Oita and in Osaka?
You'd need roughly $1,964 in Oita and $2,067 in Osaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oita compared to Osaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Oita versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oita and in Osaka?
Childcare runs $126 in Oita versus $510 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Oita or in Osaka?
Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Oita or in Osaka?
At $1,309 in Oita versus $1,378 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oita or Osaka?
Both work as nomad bases, but Oita delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oita hard to pass up.
How safe is Oita compared to Osaka?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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