Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagano Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Osaka vs $1,199 in Nagano, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Osaka vs $1,906 in Nagano, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,606 per month in Osaka vs $2,614 in Nagano, rent included.

Osaka costs about 12% more than Nagano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Osaka and Nagano are more affordable than the global median – Osaka 2% lower, Nagano 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$6.16 ¥962

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$43.16 ¥6,742

-28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.08 ¥794

-5.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$3.49 ¥546

-16.05%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.04 ¥162

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.77 ¥121

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.44 ¥381

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.20 ¥500

13.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.42 ¥222

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.71 ¥267

-25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$3.68 ¥574

42.66%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.05 ¥319

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$11.57 ¥1,808

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$5.91 ¥923

55.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$14.01 ¥2,189

29.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$5.47 ¥854

-38.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$2.80 ¥438

-31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$2.80 ¥437

-29.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$4.27 ¥668

-8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$2.48 ¥388

-37.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$2.56 ¥399

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.22 ¥190

5.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.75 ¥117

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.69 ¥577

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$6.41 ¥1,001

48.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.72 ¥269

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$1.99 ¥311

61.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.33 ¥208

2.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$47.96 ¥7,492

-33.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.11 ¥486

21.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.52 ¥394

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$20.73 ¥3,239

1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.10 ¥171

-0.91%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

2.59%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-17.47%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$128 ¥20.0K

6.12%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$23.65 ¥3,694

1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$12.62 ¥1,972

142.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$51.2 ¥8,000

-5.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$12.43 ¥1,942

-3.14%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$634 ¥99.0K

-18.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.3K ¥2.2M

-7.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$61.7 ¥9,635

-28.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$31.70 ¥4,951

-6.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$61.3 ¥9,573

18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$102 ¥15.9K

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$454 ¥71.0K

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$356 ¥55.7K

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,092 ¥170.5K

54.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$720 ¥112.5K

5.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,178 ¥652.6K

34.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,778 ¥277.7K

2.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

$616 ¥96.2K

264.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.12

4.25%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nagano: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Osaka versus $454 in Nagano. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 265% higher in Osaka, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka versus $43.00 in Nagano. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Osaka vs $289 in Nagano – so Nagano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nagano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka costs about 12% more than Nagano, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Osaka and $1,798 in Nagano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Osaka and $43.00 in Nagano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,346 in Osaka and $1,199 in Nagano. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nagano, where all-in costs run around $1,199, than in Osaka at $1,346. In Nagano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nagano costs $1,199 versus $1,346 in Osaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nagano. 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.