Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Gifu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Gifu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,238 in Gifu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,937 in Gifu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,636 in Gifu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 11% more expensive than Gifu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.85 ¥1,095

1.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$35.05 ¥5,606

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.99 ¥798

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.21 ¥513

3.74%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.09 ¥174

-0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.77 ¥124

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.78 ¥445

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$4.43 ¥708

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.55 ¥247

3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.49 ¥238

-4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.84 ¥774

0.41%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.43 ¥388

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.52 ¥1,683

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.28 ¥1,004

1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$18.97 ¥3,034

-1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$3.49 ¥559

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.16 ¥346

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$2.61 ¥417

-4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.32 ¥691

-0.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$1.65 ¥264

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.25 ¥199

2.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.32 ¥211

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.85 ¥135

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.57 ¥570

10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.28 ¥1,485

-0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.06 ¥330

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.98 ¥476

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.59 ¥255

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.5 ¥8,723

-33.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.37 ¥539

-1.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$23.44 ¥3,749

2.18%

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

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.68%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$12.3K ¥2.0M

36.96%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$130 ¥20.8K

3.72%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.39 ¥4,381

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$30.10 ¥4,814

0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.1 ¥8,980

5.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.80 ¥2,207

47.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.35 ¥1,975

0.08%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$69.7 ¥11.2K

-2.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$10.2K ¥1.6M

2.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$43.46 ¥6,951

1.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.50 ¥4,719

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$97.0 ¥15.5K

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$477 ¥76.3K

50.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$325 ¥52.0K

48.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$875 ¥139.9K

49.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$655 ¥104.7K

23.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,846 ¥775.1K

22.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,455 ¥392.7K

-16.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Gifu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $477 in Gifu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Gifu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $299 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 Gifu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gifu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,857 in Gifu 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 $477 in Gifu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gifu runs roughly 50% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $69.7 in Gifu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,238 in Gifu versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gifu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Gifu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gifu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Gifu 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 Gifu 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.