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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,191 in Koriyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,875 in Koriyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,560 in Koriyama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than in Koriyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Koriyama 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$6.03 ¥939

1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$29.13 ¥4,534

5.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$4.73 ¥736

1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$3.10 ¥482

-5.48%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.08 ¥168

32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.71 ¥111

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.81 ¥437

-6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.08 ¥479

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.39 ¥216

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.69 ¥263

-24.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$4.55 ¥709

15.38%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$10.31 ¥1,604

-4.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$6.14 ¥955

49.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$16.22 ¥2,524

11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$4.74 ¥738

-28.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.54 ¥395

-24.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$3.28 ¥511

-39.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.64 ¥722

-16.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.28 ¥354

-32.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.19 ¥342

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.30 ¥203

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.69 ¥107

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.47 ¥540

10.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$8.56 ¥1,333

10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.91 ¥297

-2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.07 ¥322

55.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.58 ¥246

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$55.4 ¥8,619

-42.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.12 ¥486

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$3.07 ¥478

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$17.11 ¥2,662

22.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.03 ¥161

5.83%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$23.1K ¥3.6M

-7.62%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

8.50%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$119 ¥18.6K

14.13%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$22.87 ¥3,560

4.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$28.41 ¥4,422

7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$52.0 ¥8,091

-6.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$12.21 ¥1,900

-1.39%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$611 ¥95.0K

-14.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$11.1K ¥1.7M

19.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$50.1 ¥7,792

-11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$27.42 ¥4,267

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$54.3 ¥8,457

33.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$101 ¥15.7K

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$433 ¥67.3K

61.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$352 ¥54.8K

44.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$1,063 ¥165.4K

58.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$631 ¥98.2K

20.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,291 ¥667.8K

31.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$1,813 ¥282.1K

0.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.06

7.28%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Koriyama: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $433 in Koriyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $29.00 in Koriyama. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $298, with Osaka cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,191 including rent). Koriyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,786 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: $699 in Osaka versus $433 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 73% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $611 in Koriyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,191 in Koriyama versus $1,346 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 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.