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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,174 in Ichikawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,842 in Ichikawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,510 in Ichikawa.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Ichikawa is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$7.10 ¥1,153

-0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$35.00 ¥5,686

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.07 ¥823

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.14 ¥510

2.55%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.08 ¥175

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.81 ¥132

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.05 ¥334

38.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$2.03 ¥330

107.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.51 ¥245

1.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.72 ¥280

-16.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.90 ¥797

-5.71%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$1.57 ¥255

55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.19 ¥1,656

3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.17 ¥1,002

6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.34 ¥2,492

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$6.07 ¥986

-39.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$3.16 ¥514

-33.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$4.11 ¥668

-39.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$4.50 ¥730

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.28 ¥532

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.71 ¥603

-64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.34 ¥217

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.10 ¥666

-5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$6.93 ¥1,126

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.76 ¥287

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.06 ¥335

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$56.4 ¥9,158

-36.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.49 ¥566

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.98 ¥484

9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$22.05 ¥3,583

6.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.16 ¥188

1.72%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

-0.58%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.9K ¥3.1M

-8.45%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$83.8 ¥13.6K

60.30%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.90 ¥4,534

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$17.08 ¥2,776

78.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$55.1 ¥8,951

4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.77 ¥2,237

53.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$11.37 ¥1,847

8.36%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$277 ¥45.1K

-75.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-23.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$41.27 ¥6,705

7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$30.01 ¥4,876

-1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$59.2 ¥9,613

12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$96.0 ¥15.6K

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$475 ¥77.1K

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$334 ¥54.3K

42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$875 ¥142.2K

48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$649 ¥105.5K

27.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,388 ¥713.0K

34.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,365 ¥384.3K

-13.28%

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 Ichikawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $475 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 $300 vs $314 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,174 including rent). Ichikawa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,994 in Osaka and $1,761 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: $727 in Osaka versus $475 in Ichikawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 4% 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 $1,174 in Ichikawa versus $1,330 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 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.