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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,347 per month in Osaka vs $1,278 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,036 per month in Osaka vs $1,974 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Osaka vs $2,669 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Osaka costs about 5% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Osaka sits 1% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,064

$7.34 ¥1,157

-8.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.24 ¥5,553

$41.29 ¥6,506

-14.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥749

$4.94 ¥779

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥518

$3.20 ¥504

2.81%

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

$1.10 ¥173

$1.09 ¥172

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥120

$0.75 ¥118

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥445

$2.63 ¥414

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ¥695

$3.05 ¥480

44.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.55 ¥244

2.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥227

$1.64 ¥259

-12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥753

$4.29 ¥676

11.42%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥367

$2.55 ¥401

-8.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,671

$10.23 ¥1,612

3.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,007

$6.28 ¥989

1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 ¥2,973

$20.94 ¥3,300

-9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥577

$3.21 ¥506

14.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ¥334

$1.36 ¥214

55.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥396

$1.41 ¥223

78.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥699

$3.29 ¥519

34.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥262

$2.71 ¥427

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ¥199

$3.17 ¥499

-60.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥209

$0.92 ¥145

44.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥138

$0.75 ¥119

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥625

$3.84 ¥605

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ¥1,426

$6.21 ¥979

45.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥320

$1.95 ¥307

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ¥458

$2.10 ¥331

38.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.65 ¥259

-3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.37 ¥5,574

$55.3 ¥8,718

-36.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥700

$4.55 ¥717

-2.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 ¥528

$2.92 ¥460

14.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 ¥3,734

$19.38 ¥3,054

22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.23 ¥193

-3.25%

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

$23.1K ¥3.6M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

1.38%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$20.0K ¥3.2M

-15.89%

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

$135 ¥21.3K

$216 ¥34.0K

-37.42%

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

$27.52 ¥4,336

$27.59 ¥4,348

-0.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,826

$35.33 ¥5,566

-13.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 ¥9,020

$56.0 ¥8,829

2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ¥3,331

$13.63 ¥2,148

55.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 ¥1,930

$13.98 ¥2,203

-12.37%

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

$68.0 ¥10.7K

$408 ¥64.2K

-83.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$13.5K ¥2.1M

-22.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,037

$42.79 ¥6,742

4.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ¥4,563

$29.20 ¥4,600

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥10.8K

$65.2 ¥10.3K

5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ¥15.2K

$60.5 ¥9,524

59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ¥113.6K

$467 ¥73.6K

54.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥74.6K

$334 ¥52.7K

41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ¥204.5K

$867 ¥136.6K

49.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 ¥128.9K

$663 ¥104.5K

23.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,971 ¥940.9K

$4,260 ¥671.3K

40.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 ¥319.7K

$2,070 ¥326.1K

-1.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 ¥294.3K

$1,463 ¥230.5K

27.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.67

8.38%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Osaka versus $467 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 28% 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 $41.00 in Kitakyushu. Groceries tell a different story – $300 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: $1,347 in Osaka, $1,278 in Kitakyushu – roughly 5% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,020 per month in Osaka and $1,918 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 6% 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 $35.00 in Osaka and $41.00 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 $1,278, than in Osaka at $1,347. 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 $1,278 in Kitakyushu to $1,347 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.