Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Matsudo Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Matsudo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,193 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,885 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,576 in Matsudo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$6.14 ¥956

-0.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$40.56 ¥6,312

-24.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$5.02 ¥782

-4.18%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$3.31 ¥515

-11.48%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.09 ¥169

31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.73 ¥114

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.43 ¥378

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.20 ¥497

13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.36 ¥212

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.65 ¥258

-22.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$3.65 ¥568

43.84%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$2.05 ¥320

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$11.11 ¥1,730

-11.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$5.96 ¥927

54.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$14.51 ¥2,258

24.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$5.08 ¥791

-33.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.44 ¥380

-21.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$2.78 ¥433

-28.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.04 ¥629

-3.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.57 ¥400

-40.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.60 ¥404

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.25 ¥195

3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.80 ¥125

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.85 ¥600

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$6.33 ¥985

50.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.71 ¥266

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$1.99 ¥310

61.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.49 ¥232

-8.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$55.2 ¥8,595

-42.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.10 ¥482

21.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.47 ¥384

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$18.19 ¥2,831

15.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.04 ¥162

4.81%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-0.03%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$15.1K ¥2.3M

0.56%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$131 ¥20.4K

3.76%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$22.48 ¥3,499

6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$30.26 ¥4,710

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$49.68 ¥7,732

-2.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$12.68 ¥1,974

-5.05%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$614 ¥95.5K

-15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$51.5 ¥8,021

-14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$32.64 ¥5,079

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$61.3 ¥9,533

18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$74.9 ¥11.7K

18.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$503 ¥78.3K

39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$326 ¥50.7K

55.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$1,201 ¥186.9K

40.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$723 ¥112.5K

5.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,522 ¥703.9K

24.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$2,032 ¥316.2K

-10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.93

14.51%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $503 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $41.00 in Matsudo. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $284, with Matsudo 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 Matsudo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matsudo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,790 in Matsudo 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 $503 in Matsudo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Matsudo 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 $614 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,193 in Matsudo versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Matsudo but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Matsudo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Matsudo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Matsudo 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 Matsudo 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.