Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ichihara Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ichihara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,183 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,881 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,579 in Ichihara.

Living in Osaka is roughly 16% more expensive than Ichihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Ichihara is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$7.13 ¥1,141

-2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.72 ¥5,553

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.09 ¥814

-2.16%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.19 ¥511

4.39%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.14 ¥183

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.80 ¥129

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.09 ¥335

31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.04 ¥326

113.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.53 ¥245

5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.75 ¥280

-18.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.94 ¥791

-1.62%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$1.56 ¥250

57.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.06 ¥1,609

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.16 ¥985

3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.36 ¥2,457

21.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.95 ¥951

-40.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.20 ¥512

-31.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.92 ¥628

-36.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.60 ¥736

-6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.39 ¥542

-50.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.67 ¥588

-65.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.34 ¥215

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.81 ¥130

4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.04 ¥646

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$8.06 ¥1,289

15.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.75 ¥279

21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.04 ¥326

46.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.65 ¥264

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.1 ¥8,973

-35.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.40 ¥544

34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.90 ¥464

14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$21.90 ¥3,503

9.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.14 ¥182

4.39%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.22%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-8.17%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$84.6 ¥13.5K

59.36%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.72 ¥4,434

-0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$17.12 ¥2,739

77.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.9 ¥8,936

5.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.69 ¥2,189

48.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$11.24 ¥1,797

9.96%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$287 ¥45.8K

-76.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-24.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$41.33 ¥6,610

6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.30 ¥4,687

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$59.3 ¥9,479

13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$98.4 ¥15.7K

-3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$459 ¥73.5K

56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$324 ¥51.8K

48.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$868 ¥138.8K

51.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$660 ¥105.6K

22.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$5,257 ¥840.8K

13.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,054 ¥328.5K

0.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $459 in Ichihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Ichihara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $315 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 Ichihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ichihara is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,775 in Ichihara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Osaka versus $459 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $287 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,183 in Ichihara versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ichihara but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ichihara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ichihara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Ichihara 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 Ichihara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.