Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kagoshima Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kagoshima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Osaka vs $1,149 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Osaka vs $1,913 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Osaka vs $2,676 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Osaka costs about 21% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$6.45 ¥1,008

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$34.43 ¥5,377

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$4.92 ¥769

6.71%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.16 ¥494

-3.48%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.06 ¥166

33.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.65 ¥102

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$2.57 ¥401

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$2.30 ¥359

68.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.36 ¥212

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.22 ¥190

7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$5.46 ¥853

0.55%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.11 ¥330

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$18.65 ¥2,913

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$5.38 ¥840

79.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$19.35 ¥3,022

-3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$3.75 ¥586

-8.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$1.89 ¥295

7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$2.97 ¥464

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$3.34 ¥521

25.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.19 ¥343

-26.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$1.91 ¥298

-36.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.11 ¥174

22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.82 ¥127

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$4.08 ¥637

-1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$6.10 ¥952

55.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.22 ¥190

63.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$1.87 ¥292

71.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.28 ¥200

10.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$58.0 ¥9,054

-43.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.99 ¥623

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.15 ¥335

48.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$11.86 ¥1,853

86.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.14 ¥177

-0.88%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$22.5K ¥3.5M

-0.55%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-12.96%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$195 ¥30.4K

-28.27%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$25.87 ¥4,040

-4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$31.40 ¥4,903

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$53.4 ¥8,333

-0.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$12.41 ¥1,938

-0.89%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$130 ¥20.3K

307.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$12.6K ¥2.0M

5.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$39.59 ¥6,183

23.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$24.19 ¥3,777

31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$62.0 ¥9,682

22.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$48.58 ¥7,586

94.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$522 ¥81.5K

39.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$226 ¥35.3K

126.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$946 ¥147.7K

85.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$753 ¥117.7K

3.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$4,178 ¥652.4K

52.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,848 ¥288.6K

5.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$1,921 ¥299.9K

21.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.85

19.46%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Osaka versus $522 in Kagoshima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Osaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Osaka versus $34.00 in Kagoshima. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Osaka vs $302 in Kagoshima – so Kagoshima wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kagoshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka costs about 21% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,089 per month in Osaka and $1,724 in Kagoshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kagoshima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $529 per month in Osaka and $130 in Kagoshima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Osaka at $1,393. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,149 versus $1,393 in Osaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kagoshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Osaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.