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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,163 in Matsudo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,837 in Matsudo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,511 in Matsudo.

Living in Osaka is roughly 18% more expensive than Matsudo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Matsudo is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.96 ¥1,113

-0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.74 ¥5,556

-0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.35 ¥856

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.19 ¥511

4.39%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.13 ¥181

-4.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.76 ¥121

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.03 ¥325

34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.10 ¥336

107.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.50 ¥239

7.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.66 ¥265

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.85 ¥776

0.21%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$1.55 ¥248

58.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$9.92 ¥1,586

5.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.21 ¥993

2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.23 ¥2,436

22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.99 ¥958

-41.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.09 ¥493

-29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$4.14 ¥662

-40.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.62 ¥738

-6.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.32 ¥531

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.56 ¥569

-64.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.33 ¥213

4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.87 ¥139

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.08 ¥653

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.64 ¥1,541

-3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.84 ¥295

15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.11 ¥338

41.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.60 ¥256

0.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.5 ¥8,722

-33.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.41 ¥545

33.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.89 ¥463

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$22.09 ¥3,533

8.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.15 ¥183

3.48%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

2.04%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.2K ¥2.9M

-7.00%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$84.5 ¥13.5K

59.57%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.96 ¥4,472

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$17.25 ¥2,759

76.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.7 ¥9,068

4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.60 ¥2,176

49.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$11.40 ¥1,823

8.42%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$283 ¥45.3K

-75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-24.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$40.94 ¥6,548

7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.67 ¥4,746

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.3 ¥9,639

11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$95.8 ¥15.3K

-1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$476 ¥76.2K

50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$332 ¥53.1K

45.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$878 ¥140.5K

49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$663 ¥106.1K

21.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,662 ¥745.6K

27.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,596 ¥415.2K

-20.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,996 ¥319.3K

-2.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

2.05

-11.71%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Matsudo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $476 in Matsudo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Matsudo pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Matsudo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $317 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 Matsudo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matsudo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Matsudo earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Osaka versus $476 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 50% 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 $283 in Matsudo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,163 in Matsudo versus $1,371 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 18% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.