Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Matsuyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Matsuyama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Osaka vs $1,169 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Osaka vs $1,854 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,606 per month in Osaka vs $2,540 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Osaka costs about 15% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Osaka and Matsuyama are more affordable than the global median – Osaka 2% lower, Matsuyama 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$6.13 ¥958

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$26.80 ¥4,187

14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.19 ¥811

-7.32%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$2.84 ¥444

3.17%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.04 ¥163

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.71 ¥111

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.43 ¥379

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.13 ¥489

16.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.47 ¥229

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.65 ¥257

-22.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$4.35 ¥679

20.69%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$1.86 ¥291

12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$12.74 ¥1,990

-23.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$5.80 ¥907

58.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$15.74 ¥2,459

14.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$4.52 ¥706

-25.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$2.21 ¥345

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$3.13 ¥489

-36.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$3.79 ¥592

2.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$2.30 ¥360

-33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$2.21 ¥345

-47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.25 ¥196

3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$4.42 ¥691

-13.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$7.49 ¥1,169

26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.96 ¥307

-4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$2.28 ¥355

41.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.50 ¥234

-9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$55.3 ¥8,646

-42.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.55 ¥555

6.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.76 ¥431

10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$15.94 ¥2,490

31.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.22 ¥190

-10.66%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$19.3K ¥3.0M

10.97%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$16.1K ¥2.5M

-6.17%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$131 ¥20.5K

3.73%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$26.21 ¥4,095

-8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$30.89 ¥4,826

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$44.74 ¥6,989

8.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$11.83 ¥1,847

1.78%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$498 ¥77.8K

4.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$11.4K ¥1.8M

15.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$52.4 ¥8,178

-15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$27.39 ¥4,278

8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$52.6 ¥8,212

38.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$95.1 ¥14.8K

-6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$476 ¥74.4K

46.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$313 ¥49.0K

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,160 ¥181.2K

45.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$640 ¥100.0K

18.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$3,948 ¥616.8K

42.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,963 ¥306.6K

-7.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

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 Matsuyama: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Osaka versus $476 in Matsuyama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka versus $27.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $293 – making Matsuyama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Matsuyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,346 in Osaka, $1,169 in Matsuyama – roughly 15% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Osaka and $1,753 in Matsuyama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matsuyama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Osaka and $498 in Matsuyama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matsuyama, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Matsuyama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Osaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,169 in Matsuyama to $1,346 in Osaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Matsuyama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Osaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.