Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Morioka Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Morioka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,421 per month in Osaka vs $1,238 in Morioka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,048 per month in Osaka vs $1,973 in Morioka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,675 per month in Osaka vs $2,707 in Morioka, rent included.

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

Osaka sits 3% above the global median, while Morioka is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥983

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,063

$32.57 ¥5,002

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥805

$5.11 ¥785

2.54%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$3.11 ¥477

-5.14%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$1.18 ¥181

20.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥115

$0.75 ¥116

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$2.61 ¥400

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥613

$3.28 ¥503

21.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.55 ¥238

-5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.52 ¥233

-9.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥861

$4.24 ¥650

32.08%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥323

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,532

$11.77 ¥1,808

-15.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,465

$5.68 ¥873

67.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,873

$18.43 ¥2,830

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥533

$5.50 ¥844

-36.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$2.43 ¥374

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥315

$3.04 ¥468

-32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥617

$4.81 ¥739

-16.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥246

$2.57 ¥394

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$2.24 ¥344

-46.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.17 ¥180

18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥610

$4.32 ¥664

-8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,457

$7.63 ¥1,171

24.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥293

$2.10 ¥323

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥504

$2.19 ¥337

49.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.50 ¥230

-7.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,044

$61.3 ¥9,405

-46.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥583

$3.22 ¥494

18.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$2.99 ¥459

11.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,354

$22.61 ¥3,472

-3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$1.09 ¥168

0.92%

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$22.7K ¥3.5M

-0.58%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-2.55%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$138 ¥21.2K

2.28%

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

$25.14 ¥3,860

$24.73 ¥3,798

1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,792

$32.06 ¥4,924

-2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,347

$53.7 ¥8,252

1.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,902

$13.41 ¥2,060

-7.68%

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

$526 ¥80.8K

$639 ¥98.1K

-17.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$12.6K ¥1.9M

4.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,532

$43.78 ¥6,723

12.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,873

$28.29 ¥4,344

12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$58.3 ¥8,952

27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$92.0 ¥14.1K

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.1K

$517 ¥79.4K

38.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.5K

$374 ¥57.4K

40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥268.1K

$1,040 ¥159.7K

67.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.6K

$728 ¥111.8K

9.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥978.6K

$4,204 ¥645.6K

51.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.9K

$2,129 ¥327.0K

-7.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.09

5.74%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Morioka: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $717 in Osaka versus $517 in Morioka. 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 $33.00 in Osaka versus $33.00 in Morioka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $311 – 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 Morioka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,421 in Osaka, $1,238 in Morioka – roughly 15% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,131 per month in Osaka and $1,857 in Morioka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Osaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Osaka and $33.00 in Morioka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Morioka, where all-in costs run around $1,238, than in Osaka at $1,421. In Morioka 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 $1,238 in Morioka to $1,421 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 Morioka. 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.