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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Osaka vs $1,239 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,038 per month in Osaka vs $1,952 in Matsuyama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,746 per month in Osaka vs $2,666 in Matsuyama, rent included.

Osaka costs about 7% more than Matsuyama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Osaka sits 0% above the global median, while Matsuyama is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$7.00 ¥1,137

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$35.00 ¥5,687

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.44 ¥884

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.09 ¥502

4.21%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.11 ¥180

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.80 ¥130

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.55 ¥414

11.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.17 ¥514

32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.53 ¥248

0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.52 ¥247

-5.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.69 ¥762

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.21 ¥359

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$9.90 ¥1,609

6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.54 ¥1,063

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.32 ¥2,490

22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.41 ¥879

-31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.63 ¥428

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$4.07 ¥661

-39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$6.04 ¥981

-24.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.16 ¥514

-48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.58 ¥419

-49.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.38 ¥224

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.88 ¥142

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.08 ¥663

-5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$8.57 ¥1,392

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.82 ¥296

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.19 ¥356

31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.61 ¥261

3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$56.0 ¥9,099

-36.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.52 ¥572

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$3.00 ¥488

9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$20.64 ¥3,353

13.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.20 ¥195

-1.67%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

-0.86%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

0.03%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$141 ¥22.9K

-4.55%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$26.78 ¥4,351

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$34.23 ¥5,561

-11.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$54.8 ¥8,896

5.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.63 ¥2,215

55.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$12.61 ¥2,048

-2.30%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$283 ¥45.9K

-75.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-21.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$43.18 ¥7,016

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.37 ¥4,772

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$60.7 ¥9,860

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$90.7 ¥14.7K

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$398 ¥64.7K

82.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$324 ¥52.7K

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$878 ¥142.7K

48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$652 ¥106.0K

26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,812 ¥781.8K

22.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,180 ¥354.2K

-5.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Matsuyama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Osaka versus $398 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 $35.00 in Osaka versus $35.00 in Matsuyama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $317 – making Osaka 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: $1,330 in Osaka, $1,239 in Matsuyama – roughly 7% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,994 per month in Osaka and $1,859 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 57% less in Matsuyama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $68.2 per month in Osaka and $283 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 $1,239, than in Osaka at $1,330. 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 $1,239 in Matsuyama to $1,330 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.