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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Osaka vs $1,210 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Osaka vs $1,941 in Asahikawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Osaka vs $2,673 in Asahikawa, rent included.

Osaka costs about 15% more than Asahikawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Asahikawa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$6.68 ¥1,043

-0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$32.85 ¥5,130

-2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$5.18 ¥809

1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.03 ¥474

0.66%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.03 ¥161

36.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.75 ¥117

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$2.31 ¥361

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.44 ¥537

12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.45 ¥226

2.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.46 ¥228

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$4.30 ¥672

27.67%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$1.89 ¥294

9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$10.82 ¥1,689

-9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$6.84 ¥1,068

41.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$15.80 ¥2,468

17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$5.68 ¥887

-39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.27 ¥355

-10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$2.86 ¥447

-25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$4.32 ¥674

-3.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.90 ¥454

-44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.59 ¥405

-53.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.38 ¥215

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.74 ¥116

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$4.41 ¥689

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$8.11 ¥1,267

17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.85 ¥289

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.17 ¥339

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.61 ¥252

-12.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$61.9 ¥9,672

-46.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$2.88 ¥451

36.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.14 ¥491

1.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$18.83 ¥2,941

17.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.24 ¥194

-8.87%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

2.29%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$13.8K ¥2.1M

13.23%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$145 ¥22.6K

-3.59%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$22.25 ¥3,474

10.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$36.34 ¥5,676

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$47.40 ¥7,402

11.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$10.54 ¥1,646

16.70%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$607 ¥94.8K

-12.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

0.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$57.8 ¥9,018

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$35.96 ¥5,616

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$61.8 ¥9,647

23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$86.3 ¥13.5K

9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$491 ¥76.6K

48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$296 ¥46.2K

73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$971 ¥151.7K

80.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$710 ¥110.9K

9.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$3,277 ¥511.8K

94.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,817 ¥283.7K

7.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.09

5.74%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Osaka versus $491 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 $32.00 in Osaka versus $33.00 in Asahikawa. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Osaka vs $301 in Asahikawa – so Asahikawa 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: $1,393 in Osaka, $1,210 in Asahikawa – roughly 15% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,089 per month in Osaka and $1,814 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 89% less in Asahikawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $529 per month in Osaka and $607 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 $1,210, than in Osaka at $1,393. 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 $1,210 in Asahikawa to $1,393 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.