Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ichikawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ichikawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,161 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,835 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,509 in Ichikawa.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Ichikawa 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$4.95 ¥771

23.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$31.85 ¥4,957

-3.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$4.45 ¥692

8.09%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$2.14 ¥332

36.92%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$0.71 ¥110

101.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.39 ¥60.4

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.45 ¥382

7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.08 ¥480

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.36 ¥212

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.73 ¥269

-26.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$3.59 ¥558

46.24%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$2.08 ¥324

0.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$11.54 ¥1,796

-15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$6.14 ¥955

49.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$14.28 ¥2,223

26.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$5.70 ¥886

-40.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.77 ¥431

-31.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$2.81 ¥437

-29.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.04 ¥628

-3.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.48 ¥385

-37.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.56 ¥398

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.23 ¥191

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.75 ¥117

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.73 ¥581

2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$6.12 ¥952

55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.78 ¥277

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.09 ¥325

54.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.34 ¥208

1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$62.0 ¥9,646

-48.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.07 ¥477

22.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.54 ¥396

19.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$20.05 ¥3,120

4.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.10 ¥171

-0.91%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-1.09%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$18.2K ¥2.8M

-16.75%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$129 ¥20.1K

5.32%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$23.65 ¥3,681

1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$31.99 ¥4,979

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$54.1 ¥8,412

-10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$12.73 ¥1,981

-5.42%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$631 ¥98.2K

-17.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$62.7 ¥9,753

-29.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$32.00 ¥4,981

-7.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$61.0 ¥9,495

19.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$103 ¥16.0K

-13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$481 ¥74.9K

45.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$339 ¥52.8K

49.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$1,054 ¥164.1K

59.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$783 ¥121.9K

-2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,122 ¥641.6K

36.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$1,968 ¥306.2K

-7.40%

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 Ichikawa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $481 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $32.00 in Ichikawa. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $290, with Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Ichikawa differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,161 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,741 in Ichikawa 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 $481 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Ichikawa – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $31.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,161 in Ichikawa versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ichikawa but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa 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 Ichikawa 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.