Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Aomori Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Aomori

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,231 in Aomori.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,931 in Aomori.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,630 in Aomori.

Living in Osaka is roughly 11% more expensive than Aomori, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Aomori is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

$7.05 ¥1,130

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,543

$35.28 ¥5,655

-1.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥798

$5.40 ¥865

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥533

$3.11 ¥498

7.07%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.10 ¥176

-1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥120

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥439

$2.64 ¥423

3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥697

$3.15 ¥505

38.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.59 ¥255

1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.54 ¥247

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥779

$4.72 ¥756

2.97%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥394

$2.21 ¥354

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,672

$10.11 ¥1,620

3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,023

$6.28 ¥1,007

1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,984

$15.42 ¥2,472

20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥565

$5.41 ¥867

-34.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.61 ¥419

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥398

$4.07 ¥653

-39.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥691

$6.02 ¥964

-28.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥272

$3.15 ¥505

-46.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥206

$2.64 ¥423

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.39 ¥223

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.90 ¥144

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥631

$4.26 ¥683

-7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,486

$8.27 ¥1,326

12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.90 ¥305

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥480

$2.23 ¥357

34.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.66 ¥266

-3.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,823

$56.4 ¥9,045

-35.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥731

$3.49 ¥559

30.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥531

$2.97 ¥477

11.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,839

$20.58 ¥3,298

16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.12 ¥179

6.25%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.02%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-1.23%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$142 ¥22.7K

-4.79%

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

$27.60 ¥4,424

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,868

$33.71 ¥5,404

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,480

$56.2 ¥9,013

5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,269

$13.86 ¥2,221

47.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,982

$12.63 ¥2,025

-2.14%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$278 ¥44.5K

-75.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,065

$42.77 ¥6,856

3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,723

$29.97 ¥4,804

-1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$58.9 ¥9,442

14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$92.5 ¥14.8K

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥115.0K

$461 ¥74.0K

55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.4K

$334 ¥53.6K

44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥210.1K

$868 ¥139.1K

51.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.3K

$667 ¥106.9K

20.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥953.9K

$4,076 ¥653.4K

46.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥329.3K

$2,639 ¥423.0K

-22.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥311.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Aomori: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $461 in Aomori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Aomori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $318 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

Osaka vs Aomori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Aomori differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,231 including rent). Aomori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,847 in Aomori 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Osaka versus $461 in Aomori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $278 in Aomori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,231 in Aomori versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aomori but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Aomori the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Aomori 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 Aomori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.