Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,185 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Osaka versus $1,905 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Osaka versus $2,625 in Nagasaki.

Living in Osaka is roughly 14% more expensive than in Nagasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,064

$5.61 ¥884

20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.24 ¥5,553

$20.62 ¥3,250

70.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥749

$5.72 ¥901

-16.96%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥518

$3.10 ¥488

6.13%

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

$1.10 ¥173

$1.09 ¥171

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥120

$0.80 ¥125

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥445

$2.50 ¥393

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ¥695

$2.39 ¥377

84.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥227

$1.28 ¥201

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥753

$4.14 ¥652

15.46%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥367

$2.28 ¥359

2.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,671

$10.20 ¥1,608

4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,007

$3.54 ¥557

80.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 ¥2,973

$20.71 ¥3,263

-8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥577

$3.06 ¥482

19.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ¥334

$1.35 ¥213

57.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥396

$1.42 ¥224

77.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥699

$5.92 ¥932

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥262

$2.84 ¥447

-41.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ¥199

$3.17 ¥499

-60.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥209

$0.98 ¥154

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥138

$0.57 ¥89.5

52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥625

$3.84 ¥605

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ¥1,426

$6.25 ¥984

44.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥320

$1.99 ¥313

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ¥458

$2.13 ¥336

36.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥250

$0.93 ¥146

70.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.37 ¥5,574

$113 ¥17.8K

-68.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥700

$4.10 ¥646

8.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 ¥528

$2.91 ¥458

15.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 ¥3,734

$19.65 ¥3,097

20.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.15 ¥181

3.48%

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

$23.1K ¥3.6M

$23.2K ¥3.6M

-0.23%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$20.4K ¥3.2M

-17.29%

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

$135 ¥21.3K

$215 ¥33.9K

-37.16%

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

$27.52 ¥4,336

$27.15 ¥4,278

1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,826

$35.72 ¥5,629

-14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 ¥9,020

$55.6 ¥8,759

2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ¥3,331

$13.80 ¥2,175

53.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 ¥1,930

$14.13 ¥2,227

-13.31%

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

$68.0 ¥10.7K

$259 ¥40.9K

-73.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,037

$43.40 ¥6,839

2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ¥4,563

$29.96 ¥4,720

-3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥10.8K

$66.6 ¥10.5K

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ¥15.2K

$60.1 ¥9,463

60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ¥113.6K

$309 ¥48.7K

133.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥74.6K

$208 ¥32.7K

127.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ¥204.5K

$857 ¥135.1K

51.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 ¥128.9K

$659 ¥103.8K

24.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,971 ¥940.9K

$4,346 ¥684.8K

37.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 ¥319.7K

$2,051 ¥323.2K

-1.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 ¥294.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.67

8.38%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Osaka and $309 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $276 per month, with Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nagasaki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,020 in Osaka and $1,778 in Nagasaki 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: $721 in Osaka versus $309 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nagasaki – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,185 in Nagasaki versus $1,347 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagasaki is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Osaka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Nagasaki 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 Nagasaki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.