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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,194 in Ichihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,920 in Ichihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,646 in Ichihara.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ichihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Ichihara 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$6.21 ¥967

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$44.25 ¥6,887

-30.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$4.90 ¥762

-1.84%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$3.31 ¥515

-11.48%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.04 ¥162

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.79 ¥123

-12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.45 ¥382

7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.20 ¥497

13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.43 ¥223

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.72 ¥268

-25.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$3.57 ¥555

47.06%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$2.04 ¥318

2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$11.51 ¥1,791

-14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$5.84 ¥909

57.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$14.47 ¥2,252

25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$5.53 ¥861

-38.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.69 ¥418

-29.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$2.83 ¥441

-30.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.10 ¥638

-5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.61 ¥406

-41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.53 ¥394

-53.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.28 ¥199

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.80 ¥124

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.83 ¥595

0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$6.44 ¥1,002

47.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.79 ¥278

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.02 ¥314

59.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.31 ¥203

3.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$49.86 ¥7,760

-35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.04 ¥473

24.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.54 ¥395

19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$20.21 ¥3,146

3.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.06 ¥165

2.83%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$20.9K ¥3.3M

2.21%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-17.73%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$130 ¥20.3K

4.54%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$23.88 ¥3,716

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$31.39 ¥4,885

-2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$46.15 ¥7,183

5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$12.28 ¥1,911

-1.95%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$630 ¥98.0K

-17.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$60.7 ¥9,441

-27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$31.75 ¥4,942

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$60.3 ¥9,380

20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$102 ¥15.9K

-13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$511 ¥79.5K

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$353 ¥54.9K

43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$918 ¥142.8K

83.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$648 ¥100.8K

17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,673 ¥727.3K

20.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$2,097 ¥326.3K

-13.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.12

4.25%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ichihara: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $511 in Ichihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $44.00 in Ichihara. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $290, with Ichihara cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,791 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: $699 in Osaka versus $511 in Ichihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $630 in Ichihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,194 in Ichihara versus $1,346 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 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.