Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kamakura Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kamakura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,293 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $2,024 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,754 in Kamakura.

Living in Osaka is roughly 3% more expensive than in Kamakura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Kamakura is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$6.83 ¥1,109

3.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.72 ¥5,642

0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.45 ¥885

-12.66%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.11 ¥506

3.54%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.19 ¥194

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.75 ¥122

-5.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.04 ¥332

39.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.11 ¥505

35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.50 ¥244

2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.69 ¥275

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.84 ¥787

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.23 ¥363

9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$13.73 ¥2,231

-23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.77 ¥1,100

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$17.60 ¥2,860

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$6.18 ¥1,004

-40.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.82 ¥458

-25.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$3.91 ¥635

-36.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$6.14 ¥998

-26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.23 ¥525

-49.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.68 ¥435

-51.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.33 ¥216

3.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.06 ¥172

-17.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$3.50 ¥569

10.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$9.04 ¥1,470

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.90 ¥308

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.37 ¥385

21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.59 ¥259

5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$54.9 ¥8,918

-34.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.38 ¥549

36.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.93 ¥476

11.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$17.59 ¥2,858

33.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.23 ¥200

-4.07%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-2.69%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

3.72%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$145 ¥23.6K

-7.46%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.29 ¥4,434

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$33.55 ¥5,451

-9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$56.1 ¥9,118

3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.74 ¥2,233

54.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$12.47 ¥2,026

-1.20%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$286 ¥46.5K

-76.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$11.4K ¥1.9M

-7.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$41.12 ¥6,681

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.44 ¥4,783

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$55.7 ¥9,054

19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$91.2 ¥14.8K

6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$462 ¥75.1K

57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$325 ¥52.8K

46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$877 ¥142.5K

48.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$669 ¥108.7K

23.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$3,876 ¥629.7K

52.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,385 ¥387.5K

-14.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$1,727 ¥280.6K

7.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $462 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Kamakura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $348 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 Kamakura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Osaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $727 in Osaka versus $462 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka versus $286 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,293 in Kamakura versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamakura but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Kamakura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kamakura 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 Kamakura 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 Kamakura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.