Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kanazawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kanazawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,371 per month in Osaka vs $1,196 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in Osaka vs $1,871 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Osaka vs $2,547 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Osaka costs about 15% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Kanazawa is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$5.69 ¥910

22.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$35.23 ¥5,634

-1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.82 ¥772

3.32%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.32 ¥532

0.30%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.09 ¥174

-0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.72 ¥115

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.80 ¥447

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$4.40 ¥705

-1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.50 ¥239

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.69 ¥749

3.62%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.44 ¥390

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.62 ¥1,699

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.33 ¥1,012

0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$19.04 ¥3,045

-2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$3.64 ¥582

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.19 ¥351

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$2.58 ¥412

-3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.45 ¥711

-3.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$1.66 ¥265

1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.24 ¥198

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.89 ¥142

-4.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.84 ¥614

2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.13 ¥1,461

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.07 ¥331

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$3.00 ¥480

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.8 ¥8,767

-33.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.54 ¥725

0.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.36 ¥537

-1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$23.66 ¥3,785

1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.18 ¥188

0.85%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.35%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.29%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$130 ¥20.8K

3.48%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.51 ¥4,400

0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$30.22 ¥4,833

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$48.01 ¥7,680

23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.76 ¥2,201

48.18%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.65 ¥2,023

-2.29%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$70.4 ¥11.3K

-3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

1.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$43.98 ¥7,034

0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.19 ¥4,669

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$66.6 ¥10.7K

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$94.4 ¥15.1K

0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$476 ¥76.1K

50.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$332 ¥53.1K

45.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$867 ¥138.6K

51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$658 ¥105.2K

22.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,365 ¥698.2K

36.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,655 ¥424.7K

-22.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,846 ¥295.2K

5.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Osaka versus $476 in Kanazawa. 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 5% 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 $35.00 in Osaka versus $35.00 in Kanazawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $302 – making Osaka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kanazawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,371 in Osaka, $1,196 in Kanazawa – roughly 15% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,057 per month in Osaka and $1,794 in Kanazawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,371 in Osaka and $1,196 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Osaka at $1,371. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Osaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,196 in Kanazawa to $1,371 in Osaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kanazawa. 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.