Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Hiroshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Hiroshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Osaka vs $919 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Osaka vs $1,482 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,606 per month in Osaka vs $2,046 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Osaka costs about 47% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Osaka and Hiroshima are more affordable than the global median – Osaka 2% lower, Hiroshima 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$6.05 ¥945

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$31.23 ¥4,879

-1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$4.89 ¥764

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$2.72 ¥426

7.72%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.02 ¥160

40.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.67 ¥105

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.64 ¥413

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.65 ¥570

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.50 ¥235

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.56 ¥243

-17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$4.68 ¥731

12.18%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.09 ¥326

0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$4.93 ¥770

98.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$5.96 ¥931

54.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$11.07 ¥1,730

63.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$3.39 ¥529

-0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$1.90 ¥297

0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$3.74 ¥584

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$3.73 ¥582

4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$1.50 ¥234

2.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$3.44 ¥537

-65.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.28 ¥200

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.77 ¥121

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.83 ¥599

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$7.63 ¥1,192

24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.85 ¥289

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$2.46 ¥384

30.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.91 ¥298

-28.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.72 ¥581

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$1.23 ¥192

147.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$20.94 ¥3,271

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.04 ¥163

4.81%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

0.16%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-0.13%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$137 ¥21.4K

-0.48%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$23.88 ¥3,730

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$30.26 ¥4,727

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$53.6 ¥8,368

-9.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

$4.80 ¥749

272.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$11.97 ¥1,870

0.58%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$158 ¥24.6K

229.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$3,422 ¥534.6K

284.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$28.18 ¥4,403

56.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$24.90 ¥3,891

19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$47.12 ¥7,362

54.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$61.8 ¥9,654

43.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$238 ¥37.2K

193.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$185 ¥28.9K

173.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$635 ¥99.2K

164.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$503 ¥78.6K

51.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$1,883 ¥294.1K

199.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,889 ¥295.1K

-3.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

$1,956 ¥305.6K

14.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Osaka versus $238 in Hiroshima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Osaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka versus $31.00 in Hiroshima. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Osaka vs $253 in Hiroshima – so Hiroshima 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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka costs about 47% more than Hiroshima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Osaka and $1,378 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Groceries cost about 18% more in Osaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $919 versus $1,346 in Osaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hiroshima. 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.