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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,152 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,834 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,515 in Ichikawa.

Living in Osaka is roughly 19% more expensive than Ichikawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Ichikawa is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.78 ¥1,085

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.74 ¥5,557

-0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.19 ¥830

-4.05%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.19 ¥511

4.39%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.13 ¥181

-4.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.10 ¥335

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.10 ¥335

107.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.52 ¥243

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.76 ¥281

-18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.89 ¥782

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$1.50 ¥240

64.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.10 ¥1,615

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.29 ¥1,006

1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.29 ¥2,445

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$6.10 ¥975

-42.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.21 ¥513

-31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$4.13 ¥660

-39.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.66 ¥746

-7.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.32 ¥531

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.61 ¥577

-64.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.38 ¥220

0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.82 ¥131

3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.17 ¥667

-5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.41 ¥1,504

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.74 ¥278

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.09 ¥335

43.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.59 ¥255

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$55.3 ¥8,846

-34.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.48 ¥557

31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.89 ¥463

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$22.36 ¥3,576

7.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.15 ¥185

3.48%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

0.95%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.7K ¥3.0M

-9.69%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$83.9 ¥13.4K

60.61%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.82 ¥4,450

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$17.43 ¥2,788

74.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.2 ¥8,823

7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.98 ¥2,235

45.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$11.58 ¥1,852

6.74%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$282 ¥45.2K

-75.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

-24.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$41.54 ¥6,644

6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.08 ¥4,652

1.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.1 ¥9,608

11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$96.9 ¥15.5K

-2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$474 ¥75.9K

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$334 ¥53.4K

44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$884 ¥141.4K

48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$657 ¥105.1K

22.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,958 ¥793.1K

20.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,642 ¥422.7K

-22.25%

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 Ichikawa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $474 in Ichikawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Ichikawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $320 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 Ichikawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Ichikawa differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,152 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,728 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: $717 in Osaka versus $474 in Ichikawa. 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 Ichikawa – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,152 in Ichikawa versus $1,371 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 19% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.