Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Himeji Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Himeji

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Osaka vs $1,282 in Himeji, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Osaka vs $2,062 in Himeji, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,606 per month in Osaka vs $2,843 in Himeji, rent included.

Osaka costs about 5% more than Himeji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Osaka and Himeji are more affordable than the global median – Osaka 2% lower, Himeji 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$8.35 ¥1,304

-26.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$31.42 ¥4,909

-2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$4.86 ¥760

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$2.34 ¥365

25.21%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.23 ¥193

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.81 ¥127

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$3.09 ¥482

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.12 ¥487

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.50 ¥235

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.47 ¥230

-12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$4.10 ¥641

28.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.18 ¥341

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$15.34 ¥2,396

-36.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$6.85 ¥1,070

34.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$17.35 ¥2,710

4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$8.19 ¥1,280

-58.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$2.93 ¥458

-34.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$5.11 ¥798

-61.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$7.60 ¥1,187

-48.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$3.92 ¥613

-60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$4.52 ¥706

-74.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.12 ¥175

15.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.94 ¥146

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.77 ¥588

1.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$9.24 ¥1,444

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$2.52 ¥393

-25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$2.06 ¥322

56.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.28 ¥200

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$57.2 ¥8,935

-44.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.05 ¥477

23.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.83 ¥442

7.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$15.52 ¥2,424

35.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.05 ¥164

3.81%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

0.38%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

1.88%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$114 ¥17.8K

19.62%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$23.01 ¥3,595

3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$30.79 ¥4,811

-0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$46.63 ¥7,284

4.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$11.36 ¥1,775

5.99%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$567 ¥88.5K

-8.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.3K ¥2.2M

-7.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$49.92 ¥7,798

-11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$35.88 ¥5,605

-17.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$60.0 ¥9,371

21.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$95.2 ¥14.9K

-6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$504 ¥78.7K

38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$363 ¥56.7K

39.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,156 ¥180.5K

45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$649 ¥101.4K

17.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,340 ¥678.0K

29.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,627 ¥254.1K

12.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.66

33.13%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Himeji: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Osaka versus $504 in Himeji. 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 $31.00 in Osaka versus $31.00 in Himeji. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $376 – making Osaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Himeji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Osaka is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Osaka and $1,922 in Himeji. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Osaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka and $31.00 in Himeji. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Himeji, where all-in costs run around $1,282, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Himeji it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Himeji – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Himeji. 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.