Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Koriyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Koriyama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,249 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,928 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,606 in Koriyama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 10% more expensive than Koriyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Koriyama is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

$6.87 ¥1,102

1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,543

$34.91 ¥5,595

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥798

$5.35 ¥857

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥533

$3.03 ¥486

9.90%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.07 ¥172

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥121

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥439

$2.58 ¥414

6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥697

$3.10 ¥497

40.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.60 ¥256

0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.58 ¥253

-9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥779

$4.74 ¥759

2.53%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥394

$2.21 ¥354

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,672

$10.03 ¥1,609

3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,023

$6.25 ¥1,002

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,984

$15.41 ¥2,470

20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥565

$5.42 ¥869

-34.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.54 ¥408

-13.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥398

$4.11 ¥659

-39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥691

$5.71 ¥916

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥272

$3.16 ¥507

-46.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥206

$2.64 ¥424

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.38 ¥221

0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.83 ¥133

2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥631

$4.23 ¥679

-7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,486

$7.33 ¥1,175

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$1.85 ¥296

15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥480

$2.25 ¥361

32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.60 ¥257

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,823

$55.7 ¥8,933

-34.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥731

$3.42 ¥548

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥531

$2.98 ¥478

11.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,839

$20.68 ¥3,315

15.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.18 ¥189

0.85%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.25%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-2.94%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$144 ¥23.1K

-6.38%

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

$27.60 ¥4,424

$26.95 ¥4,319

2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,868

$34.34 ¥5,505

-11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,480

$55.3 ¥8,865

6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,269

$14.04 ¥2,250

45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,982

$12.63 ¥2,025

-2.14%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$277 ¥44.5K

-75.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-22.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,065

$43.85 ¥7,029

0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,723

$29.35 ¥4,705

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.2 ¥9,648

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$93.1 ¥14.9K

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥115.0K

$477 ¥76.4K

50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.4K

$333 ¥53.4K

45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥210.1K

$857 ¥137.4K

52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.3K

$653 ¥104.7K

23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥953.9K

$5,244 ¥840.6K

13.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥329.3K

$2,162 ¥346.6K

-4.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥311.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $477 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Koriyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $313 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

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 Koriyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Koriyama differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,249 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,873 in Koriyama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Osaka versus $477 in Koriyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Koriyama runs roughly 53% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $277 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,249 in Koriyama versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koriyama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Koriyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Koriyama 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 Koriyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.