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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,186 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,864 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,542 in Ichihara.

Living in Osaka is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ichihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Ichihara is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$7.06 ¥1,148

0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$35.07 ¥5,698

-0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.06 ¥823

-5.93%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.15 ¥513

2.22%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.08 ¥176

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.75 ¥122

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.02 ¥329

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$2.02 ¥328

108.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.58 ¥256

-2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.66 ¥270

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.84 ¥786

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$1.57 ¥254

55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.11 ¥1,643

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.29 ¥1,023

4.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.70 ¥2,551

19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$6.15 ¥1,000

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$3.17 ¥516

-33.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$3.91 ¥636

-36.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$4.70 ¥763

-3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.27 ¥531

-49.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.60 ¥584

-63.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.38 ¥224

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.81 ¥132

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.26 ¥692

-9.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$8.02 ¥1,303

14.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.83 ¥298

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.10 ¥341

36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.60 ¥260

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$56.5 ¥9,178

-36.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.43 ¥557

34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.92 ¥475

11.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$21.88 ¥3,555

7.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.19 ¥193

-0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.3K ¥3.8M

-2.09%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.4K ¥3.0M

-6.17%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$84.0 ¥13.6K

59.85%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.55 ¥4,477

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$17.60 ¥2,859

72.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$56.8 ¥9,220

1.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$14.15 ¥2,299

49.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$11.36 ¥1,846

8.45%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$284 ¥46.2K

-76.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-22.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$42.32 ¥6,877

5.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.92 ¥4,862

-1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$60.3 ¥9,797

10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$97.5 ¥15.8K

-0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$474 ¥77.0K

53.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$323 ¥52.5K

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$879 ¥142.8K

48.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$663 ¥107.8K

24.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,702 ¥764.0K

25.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,080 ¥338.0K

-1.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $474 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 $300 vs $317 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,994 in Osaka and $1,780 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: $727 in Osaka versus $474 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka versus $284 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,186 in Ichihara versus $1,330 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 12% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.