Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kitakyushu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Kitakyushu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Osaka vs $1,233 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Osaka vs $1,926 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Osaka vs $2,620 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Osaka costs about 13% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$7.22 ¥1,128

-7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$33.59 ¥5,246

-4.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$5.55 ¥867

-5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.37 ¥526

-9.50%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.04 ¥162

35.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$2.97 ¥463

-6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$2.26 ¥352

71.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.53 ¥239

-3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.31 ¥204

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$5.55 ¥867

-1.08%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.26 ¥354

-8.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$9.98 ¥1,559

-1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$5.49 ¥857

76.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$19.18 ¥2,996

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$3.71 ¥579

-7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$1.85 ¥289

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$2.88 ¥450

-26.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$2.97 ¥464

40.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.26 ¥354

-29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.60 ¥406

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.09 ¥171

24.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.94 ¥147

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$4.04 ¥631

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$6.40 ¥1,000

48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.78 ¥278

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$1.76 ¥276

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.64 ¥257

-14.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$58.2 ¥9,094

-43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.06 ¥322

55.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$18.42 ¥2,876

20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.06 ¥165

6.60%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

5.24%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

-11.67%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$195 ¥30.5K

-28.38%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$25.26 ¥3,944

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$33.60 ¥5,248

-7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$52.3 ¥8,171

1.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

$3.15 ¥493

504.44%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$11.52 ¥1,798

6.77%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$389 ¥60.8K

35.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$12.4K ¥1.9M

7.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$39.38 ¥6,151

24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$24.50 ¥3,826

30.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$60.7 ¥9,473

25.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$48.25 ¥7,535

95.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$520 ¥81.2K

40.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$331 ¥51.7K

54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$1,049 ¥163.9K

67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$739 ¥115.4K

5.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$3,702 ¥578.1K

72.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,776 ¥277.3K

10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$1,527 ¥238.4K

53.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.69

30.77%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Osaka versus $520 in Kitakyushu. 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 53% 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 Kitakyushu. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Osaka vs $284 in Kitakyushu – so Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,393 in Osaka, $1,233 in Kitakyushu – roughly 13% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,089 per month in Osaka and $1,850 in Kitakyushu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% more in Osaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Osaka and $34.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Osaka at $1,393. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,233 in Kitakyushu to $1,393 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 Kitakyushu. 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.