Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Asahikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Asahikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,371 per month in Osaka vs $1,260 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in Osaka vs $1,930 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Osaka vs $2,600 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Osaka costs about 9% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

$7.03 ¥1,128

-1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,543

$34.30 ¥5,498

0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥798

$5.26 ¥843

-5.32%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥533

$3.05 ¥489

9.18%

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

$2.67 ¥428

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥697

$3.21 ¥515

35.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.57 ¥252

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.60 ¥256

-10.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥779

$4.76 ¥763

2.10%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥394

$2.19 ¥351

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,672

$10.01 ¥1,605

4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,023

$6.46 ¥1,036

-1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,984

$15.45 ¥2,476

20.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥565

$5.38 ¥862

-34.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.52 ¥403

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥398

$3.92 ¥628

-36.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥691

$5.85 ¥938

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥272

$3.00 ¥481

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥206

$2.57 ¥411

-50.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.34 ¥214

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.85 ¥135

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥631

$4.15 ¥665

-5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,486

$8.30 ¥1,330

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.93 ¥309

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥480

$2.15 ¥344

39.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.60 ¥256

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,823

$55.4 ¥8,873

-34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥731

$3.45 ¥552

32.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥531

$2.88 ¥462

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,839

$20.60 ¥3,301

16.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.24 ¥199

-4.03%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

3.22%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.5K ¥2.8M

-3.39%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$144 ¥23.1K

-6.57%

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

$27.60 ¥4,424

$26.66 ¥4,274

3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,868

$33.80 ¥5,418

-10.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,480

$54.9 ¥8,806

7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,269

$13.62 ¥2,183

49.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,982

$12.65 ¥2,028

-2.29%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$278 ¥44.6K

-75.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-21.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,065

$43.37 ¥6,952

1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,723

$29.90 ¥4,792

-1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.3 ¥9,669

11.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$91.8 ¥14.7K

3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥115.0K

$463 ¥74.2K

54.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.4K

$335 ¥53.7K

44.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥210.1K

$870 ¥139.4K

50.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.3K

$670 ¥107.4K

20.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥953.9K

$4,829 ¥774.1K

23.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥329.3K

$2,679 ¥429.4K

-23.31%

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 Asahikawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Osaka versus $463 in Asahikawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Osaka versus $34.00 in Asahikawa. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Osaka vs $315 in Asahikawa – so Osaka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Asahikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,371 in Osaka, $1,260 in Asahikawa – roughly 9% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,057 per month in Osaka and $1,890 in Asahikawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asahikawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $68.1 per month in Osaka and $278 in Asahikawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Asahikawa, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Osaka at $1,371. In Asahikawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Osaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Asahikawa to $1,371 in Osaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Asahikawa. 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.