Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Hamamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Hamamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,110 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Osaka versus $1,843 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Osaka versus $2,577 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 22% more expensive than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Hamamatsu is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,113

$4.82 ¥772

44.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 ¥5,574

$42.39 ¥6,786

-17.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥792

$3.55 ¥568

39.44%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$3.08 ¥493

7.79%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.66 ¥106

65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥116

$0.82 ¥131

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥447

$2.09 ¥335

33.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 ¥699

$2.72 ¥435

60.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥254

$1.53 ¥244

3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥236

$1.69 ¥270

-13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 ¥744

$4.84 ¥774

-3.93%

Eggs

$2.36 ¥378

$1.84 ¥295

28.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ¥1,665

$9.99 ¥1,600

4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,040

$6.39 ¥1,022

1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 ¥3,083

$15.47 ¥2,476

24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ¥582

$4.14 ¥663

-12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥335

$2.14 ¥342

-2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥395

$3.56 ¥569

-30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 ¥696

$4.13 ¥661

5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ¥264

$3.28 ¥524

-49.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥208

$4.34 ¥694

-70.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.39 ¥222

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.86 ¥138

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥609

$3.49 ¥559

9.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 ¥1,473

$9.66 ¥1,547

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$1.77 ¥283

17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ¥477

$2.05 ¥328

45.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.07 ¥171

47.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 ¥5,746

$55.8 ¥8,932

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥718

$3.45 ¥553

30.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 ¥542

$3.02 ¥484

12.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.90 ¥3,826

$22.35 ¥3,579

6.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.21 ¥193

1.65%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

12.22%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

23.86%

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

$130 ¥20.9K

$109 ¥17.4K

20.18%

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

$27.23 ¥4,358

$9.90 ¥1,585

175.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.85 ¥4,938

$21.21 ¥3,396

45.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,374

$103 ¥16.5K

-43.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ¥3,271

$18.58 ¥2,974

9.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,981

$13.60 ¥2,177

-8.97%

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

$69.4 ¥11.1K

$285 ¥45.6K

-75.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-25.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.94 ¥7,034

$41.48 ¥6,639

5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,743

$27.83 ¥4,454

6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥11.0K

$54.5 ¥8,716

26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$104 ¥16.7K

-9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ¥117.3K

$378 ¥60.5K

94.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥74.8K

$244 ¥39.1K

91.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ¥204.1K

$881 ¥141.1K

44.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥131.7K

$584 ¥93.5K

40.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,986 ¥958.2K

$7,566 ¥1.2M

-20.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,086 ¥333.9K

$5,338 ¥854.5K

-60.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,989 ¥318.4K

$1,413 ¥226.2K

40.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

0.95

90.53%

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

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Osaka and $378 in Hamamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 41% 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $302 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 Hamamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Hamamatsu differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,352 vs $1,110 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 41% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Osaka versus $378 in Hamamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,110 in Hamamatsu versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.