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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,371 per month in Osaka vs $1,295 in Himeji, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in Osaka vs $2,026 in Himeji, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Osaka vs $2,757 in Himeji, rent included.

Osaka costs about 6% more than Himeji, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Himeji is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$8.15 ¥1,303

-14.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.03 ¥5,443

1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$6.35 ¥1,016

-21.57%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.11 ¥497

7.07%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.15 ¥184

-6.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.69 ¥111

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$3.35 ¥535

-18.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.13 ¥501

38.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.52 ¥242

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.81 ¥289

-20.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$5.01 ¥802

-2.99%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.47 ¥395

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$17.44 ¥2,790

-40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$7.50 ¥1,200

-14.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.43 ¥2,467

20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$9.03 ¥1,444

-60.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.78 ¥444

-21.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.42 ¥547

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$9.74 ¥1,557

-55.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.90 ¥625

-56.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$2.11 ¥338

-39.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.01 ¥161

37.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$1.40 ¥224

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.52 ¥564

11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.44 ¥1,509

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.06 ¥330

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.32 ¥371

28.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.66 ¥265

-3.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.1 ¥8,979

-35.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.51 ¥561

29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.02 ¥482

9.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$17.15 ¥2,742

39.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$0.83 ¥132

43.37%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.26%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.66%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$138 ¥22.1K

-2.50%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.74 ¥4,437

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$26.52 ¥4,242

14.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.7 ¥8,909

6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.98 ¥2,236

45.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$8.13 ¥1,300

52.03%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$481 ¥76.9K

-85.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$11.4K ¥1.8M

-7.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$38.14 ¥6,101

15.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$10.25 ¥1,639

187.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$41.46 ¥6,632

62.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$55.1 ¥8,805

72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$463 ¥74.0K

55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$336 ¥53.7K

43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$882 ¥141.1K

48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$661 ¥105.8K

21.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,674 ¥747.6K

27.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,191 ¥350.4K

-6.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Himeji: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Osaka versus $463 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 $35.00 in Osaka versus $34.00 in Himeji. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Osaka vs $394 in Himeji – so Osaka 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 Himeji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Osaka is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,057 per month in Osaka and $1,942 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 32% 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 $35.00 in Osaka and $34.00 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 $1,295, than in Osaka at $1,371. 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.