Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Maia Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Maia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Osaka vs $2,235 in Maia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Osaka vs $2,797 in Maia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,606 per month in Osaka vs $3,359 in Maia, rent included.

Osaka is about 40% cheaper than Maia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Osaka sits 2% below the global median, while Maia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$13.03 €11.21

-52.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$51.3 €44.10

-40.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$9.46 €8.14

-49.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$2.08 €1.79

40.87%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$2.00 €1.72

-28.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$1.55 €1.34

-55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.27 €1.95

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.97 €3.42

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.19 €1.02

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.74 €1.49

-26.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$1.63 €1.40

222.09%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.98 €2.57

-29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$13.48 €11.60

-27.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$8.49 €7.30

8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$15.16 €13.05

19.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$2.29 €1.97

47.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$1.78 €1.53

7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$2.18 €1.88

-9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$2.45 €2.11

58.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$2.37 €2.04

-35.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$2.28 €1.96

-48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.02 €0.88

26.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$1.17 €1.01

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$7.14 €6.15

-46.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$4.78 €4.11

98.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.35 €1.16

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$2.62 €2.26

22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$2.63 €2.26

-48.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$46.36 €39.89

-31.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$4.76 €4.10

-20.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$1.54 €1.32

97.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$17.46 €15.03

20.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$2.10 €1.81

-48.10%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$33.5K €28.8K

-36.08%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$39.2K €33.8K

-61.39%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$109 €93.5

25.25%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$20.79 €17.89

15.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$40.03 €34.44

-23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$46.93 €40.38

3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

$34.35 €29.56

-47.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$8.85 €7.62

36.05%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$456 €392

13.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$6,576 €5,659

100.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$118 €102

-62.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$23.22 €19.98

27.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$78.7 €67.7

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$108 €93.1

-17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$1,095 €942

-36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$1,389 €1,195

-63.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,737 €1,495

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$1,295 €1,114

-41.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$3,084 €2,654

82.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,744 €1,501

4.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

$1,457 €1,254

54.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

3.64

-39.29%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Maia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Osaka versus $1,095 in Maia. 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 54% higher in Osaka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka versus $51.0 in Maia. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Osaka vs $271 in Maia – so Maia 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 Maia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maia costs about 66% more than Osaka, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Osaka and $3,353 in Maia. 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 $31.00 in Osaka and $51.0 in Maia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,346 in Osaka and $2,235 in Maia. 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 $1,346, than in Maia at $2,235. In Osaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Osaka costs $1,346 versus $2,235 in Maia. 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, Maia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.