Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Osaka: $1,400 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Osaka
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Osaka Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Osaka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,400

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Osaka and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Osaka and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,400 in Osaka versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Osaka $1,400
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Osaka versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Osaka $1,991
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,582 in Osaka versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Osaka $2,582
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Osaka costs roughly 48% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 4% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 ¥978

$20.22 $20.22

-69.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.80 ¥5,026

$85.0 $85.0

-62.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ¥780

$12.35 $12.35

-60.08%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ¥474

$5.47 $5.47

-45.16%

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

$1.45 ¥228

$3.82 $3.82

-62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥113

$2.50 $2.50

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ¥415

$8.06 $8.06

-67.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ¥618

$8.99 $8.99

-56.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ¥230

$1.13 $1.13

29.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥207

$3.78 $3.78

-65.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥830

$3.25 $3.25

61.54%

Eggs

$2.03 ¥321

$4.14 $4.14

-50.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ¥1,544

$13.08 $13.08

-25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 ¥1,458

$14.31 $14.31

-35.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 ¥2,838

$15.96 $15.96

12.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ¥519

$4.38 $4.38

-24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 ¥317

$1.45 $1.45

37.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 ¥333

$4.54 $4.54

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 ¥649

$4.19 $4.19

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ¥239

$2.63 $2.63

-42.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥187

$2.36 $2.36

-49.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ¥206

$1.76 $1.76

-26.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥137

$2.16 $2.16

-60.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ¥604

$9.81 $9.81

-61.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 ¥1,540

$14.72 $14.72

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥296

$2.78 $2.78

-32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥498

$3.48 $3.48

-9.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ¥211

$1.49 $1.49

-10.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.68 ¥5,165

$40.51 $40.51

-19.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 ¥609

$2.67 $2.67

44.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 ¥504

$1.58 $1.58

101.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 ¥3,466

$35.29 $35.29

-37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥173

$0.99 $0.99

11.11%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$35.8K $35.8K

-39.92%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$27.2K $27.2K

-44.32%

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

$140 ¥22.1K

$219 $219

-36.12%

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

$24.14 ¥3,816

$58.0 $58.0

-58.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 ¥4,834

$68.4 $68.4

-55.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.41 ¥7,810

$57.9 $57.9

-14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 ¥2,910

$14.82 $14.82

24.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,939

$14.13 $14.13

-13.16%

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

$511 ¥80.8K

$1,509 $1,509

-66.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ¥2.1M

$21.5K $21.5K

-39.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.50 ¥7,508

$51.7 $51.7

-8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 ¥4,761

$44.05 $44.05

-31.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 ¥11.6K

$85.1 $85.1

-13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 ¥14.4K

$105 $105

-13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ¥111.2K

$1,932 $1,932

-63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 ¥80.3K

$1,272 $1,272

-60.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 ¥276.8K

$3,670 $3,670

-52.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 ¥120.9K

$2,525 $2,525

-69.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,208 ¥981.2K

$7,617 $7,617

-18.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 ¥306.4K

$3,199 $3,199

-39.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,346 ¥370.8K

$5,105 $5,105

-54.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

6.79

-67.45%

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

Last update for Osaka: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Osaka

$508 36.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 151% $765

Groceries & Markets

Osaka

$301 21.9%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 33.8% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Osaka

$195 14.2%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 77.4% $151

Eating Out

Osaka

$130 9.5%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 168% $218

Clothing & Footwear

Osaka

$109 7.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 18.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Osaka

$74 5.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 16.5% $12

Getting Around

Osaka

$58 4.2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 1.4% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Osaka and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 118% 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: $32.00 in Osaka vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $403 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Osaka

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:25 12:25 PM

22:25 10:25 PM

14 h behind Osaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,691,185

974,447

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to JPY in detail →

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Between locations

Osaka Austin, TX 10,890 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Osaka
Austin, TX

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

Osaka vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Osaka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 118% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $704 in Osaka versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,400 per month in Osaka versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 24% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,400 in Osaka versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Osaka delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,400 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Osaka hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Austin, TX 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 Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.