Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ibaraki Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ibaraki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,186 in Ibaraki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Osaka versus $1,862 in Ibaraki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,737 in Osaka versus $2,537 in Ibaraki.

Living in Osaka is roughly 14% more expensive than Ibaraki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Ibaraki is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$7.09 ¥1,134

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.23 ¥5,475

$34.80 ¥5,566

-1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥778

$5.25 ¥839

-7.24%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥527

$3.17 ¥507

3.79%

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

$1.08 ¥174

$1.05 ¥168

2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.77 ¥123

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥450

$2.59 ¥414

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥687

$3.20 ¥512

34.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥254

$2.34 ¥374

-32.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.61 ¥257

-7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥749

$3.41 ¥546

37.24%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.30 ¥368

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥1,679

$10.20 ¥1,632

2.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,013

$6.41 ¥1,026

-1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥3,068

$15.29 ¥2,446

25.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$5.29 ¥846

-30.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$2.52 ¥403

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$4.11 ¥657

-36.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$6.01 ¥961

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥274

$3.02 ¥483

-43.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥200

$2.70 ¥431

-53.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.34 ¥215

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.78 ¥125

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥615

$4.19 ¥670

-8.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$8.31 ¥1,330

9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.62 ¥418

-21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.18 ¥349

34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.84 ¥294

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 ¥5,768

$56.1 ¥8,973

-35.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$5.23 ¥836

-12.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 ¥540

$2.93 ¥468

15.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.20 ¥3,710

$20.68 ¥3,308

12.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.25 ¥199

-2.40%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

0.77%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

1.12%

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

$132 ¥21.0K

$145 ¥23.3K

-9.52%

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

$27.19 ¥4,349

$26.69 ¥4,268

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 ¥4,881

$34.05 ¥5,446

-10.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ¥9,170

$56.7 ¥9,069

1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 ¥3,390

$13.89 ¥2,221

52.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,957

$12.36 ¥1,976

-0.97%

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

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$279 ¥44.7K

-75.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,144

$29.50 ¥4,718

51.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,740

$29.65 ¥4,742

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥10.9K

$71.8 ¥11.5K

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

$86.4 ¥13.8K

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥117.0K

$430 ¥68.8K

70.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.6K

$285 ¥45.6K

63.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ¥205.4K

$860 ¥137.6K

49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ¥130.1K

$571 ¥91.4K

42.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,119 ¥978.7K

$4,080 ¥652.6K

49.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 ¥335.5K

$2,478 ¥396.4K

-15.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,968 ¥314.7K

$2,548 ¥407.5K

-22.77%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ibaraki: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Osaka and $430 in Ibaraki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Ibaraki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $322 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 Ibaraki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Ibaraki differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,352 vs $1,186 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ibaraki earns 29% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $732 in Osaka versus $430 in Ibaraki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibaraki – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $34.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,186 in Ibaraki versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ibaraki but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki 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 Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.