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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,160 in Kamakura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,827 in Kamakura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,494 in Kamakura.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$6.10 ¥950

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$30.78 ¥4,790

-0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$5.03 ¥782

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$2.45 ¥382

19.59%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.04 ¥161

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.80 ¥124

-13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.56 ¥399

2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.08 ¥480

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.43 ¥223

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.48 ¥231

-13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$3.51 ¥547

49.57%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$2.04 ¥318

2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$11.70 ¥1,821

-16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$6.11 ¥951

50.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$14.18 ¥2,206

27.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$5.46 ¥850

-38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.76 ¥430

-30.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$2.89 ¥450

-31.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.06 ¥631

-4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.57 ¥400

-40.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.60 ¥404

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.16 ¥180

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.76 ¥118

6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.85 ¥599

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$6.11 ¥951

55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.73 ¥269

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.09 ¥325

54.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.43 ¥222

-4.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$61.1 ¥9,509

-47.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.15 ¥490

19.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.53 ¥395

20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$15.53 ¥2,417

35.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.05 ¥164

3.81%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

-0.71%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-0.28%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$115 ¥17.8K

18.74%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$22.79 ¥3,547

4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$31.02 ¥4,827

-1.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$49.61 ¥7,721

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$12.63 ¥1,966

-4.67%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$562 ¥87.5K

-7.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$49.25 ¥7,665

-10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$32.37 ¥5,038

-8.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$59.0 ¥9,183

23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$98.8 ¥15.4K

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$526 ¥81.9K

32.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$311 ¥48.4K

63.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$931 ¥144.8K

80.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$829 ¥129.1K

-8.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,636 ¥721.6K

21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$1,794 ¥279.1K

1.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

$1,755 ¥273.1K

27.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.66

33.13%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kamakura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $526 in Kamakura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 28% 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: $31.00 in Osaka vs $31.00 in Kamakura. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $287, with Kamakura 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 Kamakura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kamakura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $699 in Osaka versus $526 in Kamakura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $562 in Kamakura. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,160 in Kamakura versus $1,346 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 16% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.