Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kawasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kawasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Osaka vs $1,543 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Osaka vs $2,341 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Osaka vs $3,140 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Osaka is about 10% cheaper than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Osaka and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Osaka by 2%, Kawasaki by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,038

$7.73 ¥1,206

-13.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,006

$39.43 ¥6,152

-18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥818

$5.33 ¥832

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$2.75 ¥429

10.91%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.68 ¥262

-16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.90 ¥141

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥435

$3.22 ¥502

-13.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.18 ¥495

22.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.58 ¥246

-6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.61 ¥250

-18.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$4.53 ¥707

21.19%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.19 ¥341

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,535

$11.02 ¥1,719

-10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,510

$7.33 ¥1,143

32.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,900

$17.89 ¥2,792

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥535

$6.27 ¥979

-45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.94 ¥459

-30.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$5.04 ¥787

-57.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥651

$5.82 ¥908

-28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$3.42 ¥533

-53.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$3.40 ¥530

-64.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.21 ¥189

12.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.85 ¥133

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$4.07 ¥634

-1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,481

$9.80 ¥1,530

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.34 ¥365

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥499

$3.09 ¥482

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.93 ¥301

-26.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,124

$50.9 ¥7,948

-35.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.34 ¥521

17.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$3.21 ¥501

-0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,459

$19.38 ¥3,023

14.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.14 ¥178

-0.88%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

1.86%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-0.04%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$132 ¥20.6K

5.81%

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

$24.68 ¥3,851

$23.53 ¥3,671

4.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,842

$32.16 ¥5,018

-3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,282

$55.8 ¥8,712

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

$6.33 ¥988

200.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,918

$12.14 ¥1,894

1.32%

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

$529 ¥82.5K

$579 ¥90.3K

-8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-12.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,635

$52.4 ¥8,169

-6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,969

$33.21 ¥5,181

-4.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$64.4 ¥10.1K

18.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$72.1 ¥11.2K

30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.6K

$782 ¥122.1K

-6.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.8K

$579 ¥90.3K

-11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.5K

$1,296 ¥202.2K

35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.4K

$1,042 ¥162.6K

-25.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥994.8K

$4,769 ¥744.1K

33.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.6K

$3,325 ¥518.9K

-41.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

$2,592 ¥404.4K

-9.64%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Osaka versus $782 in Kawasaki. 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 11% higher in Kawasaki, 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 $39.00 in Kawasaki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $350 – 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 Kawasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawasaki costs about 11% more than Osaka, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,315 in Kawasaki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Osaka and $39.00 in Kawasaki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,393 in Osaka and $1,543 in Kawasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Osaka, where all-in costs run around $1,393, than in Kawasaki at $1,543. In Osaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kawasaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osaka costs $1,393 versus $1,543 in Kawasaki. 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 Osaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kawasaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.