Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Mito Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Mito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,277 in Mito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,988 in Mito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,699 in Mito.

Living in Osaka is roughly 7% more expensive than Mito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Mito is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$7.07 ¥1,131

-1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$42.37 ¥6,777

-18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.71 ¥913

-12.78%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.15 ¥503

5.71%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.17 ¥186

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.76 ¥121

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.04 ¥326

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.09 ¥493

40.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.57 ¥251

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.69 ¥271

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$5.03 ¥805

-3.38%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.23 ¥356

10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.06 ¥1,609

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.13 ¥980

4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.17 ¥2,427

22.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$6.13 ¥980

-42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.04 ¥487

-27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.97 ¥635

-37.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$5.89 ¥943

-26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.34 ¥533

-49.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$4.36 ¥697

-70.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.33 ¥212

4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.87 ¥140

-2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.11 ¥658

-4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$7.22 ¥1,155

28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.83 ¥292

16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.05 ¥329

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.65 ¥263

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.2 ¥8,988

-35.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.43 ¥549

32.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.85 ¥457

16.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$22.52 ¥3,602

6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.18 ¥189

0.85%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.3K ¥3.7M

1.01%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-9.03%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$143 ¥22.8K

-5.59%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.82 ¥4,450

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$33.76 ¥5,400

-10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.1 ¥8,976

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.92 ¥2,226

46.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.94 ¥2,229

-11.33%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$277 ¥44.3K

-75.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-24.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$41.18 ¥6,587

7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.85 ¥4,775

-1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.8 ¥9,730

10.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$111 ¥17.8K

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$466 ¥74.6K

53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$330 ¥52.7K

46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$851 ¥136.0K

54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$657 ¥105.0K

22.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,998 ¥799.5K

19.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,239 ¥358.1K

-8.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

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 Mito: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $466 in Mito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Mito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $324 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 Mito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mito wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Osaka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mito the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,916 in Mito 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: $717 in Osaka versus $466 in Mito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mito – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,277 in Mito versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mito but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Mito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mito delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,277 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mito hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Mito 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 Mito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.