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: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,212 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Osaka versus $1,912 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,737 in Osaka versus $2,611 in Nagasaki.

Living in Osaka is roughly 12% more expensive than Nagasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Nagasaki is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$5.46 ¥874

27.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.23 ¥5,475

$21.08 ¥3,372

62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥778

$5.56 ¥890

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥527

$3.03 ¥485

8.58%

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

$1.08 ¥174

$1.04 ¥166

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.74 ¥119

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥450

$2.50 ¥400

12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥687

$2.39 ¥382

79.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.55 ¥248

2.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.23 ¥197

21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥749

$4.05 ¥648

15.56%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.22 ¥355

8.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥1,679

$10.48 ¥1,677

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,013

$3.48 ¥557

81.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥3,068

$20.73 ¥3,315

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.06 ¥489

20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$1.43 ¥228

47.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$1.35 ¥216

92.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$5.94 ¥950

-23.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥274

$2.82 ¥450

-39.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥200

$3.27 ¥523

-61.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥218

$0.92 ¥147

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.53 ¥84.6

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥615

$3.86 ¥617

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$6.19 ¥990

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$1.92 ¥307

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.06 ¥330

42.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.01 ¥162

58.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 ¥5,768

$115 ¥18.3K

-68.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.02 ¥644

13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 ¥540

$2.96 ¥473

14.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.20 ¥3,710

$19.97 ¥3,193

16.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.20 ¥192

1.67%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.31%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-15.12%

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

$132 ¥21.0K

$219 ¥35.1K

-39.97%

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

$27.19 ¥4,349

$27.32 ¥4,370

-0.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 ¥4,881

$36.23 ¥5,794

-15.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ¥9,170

$55.3 ¥8,843

3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 ¥3,390

$14.05 ¥2,247

50.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,957

$13.79 ¥2,206

-11.24%

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

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$260 ¥41.6K

-73.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-20.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,144

$44.07 ¥7,049

1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,740

$29.14 ¥4,660

1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥10.9K

$67.1 ¥10.7K

1.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

$60.6 ¥9,685

59.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥117.0K

$316 ¥50.5K

131.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.6K

$205 ¥32.7K

127.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ¥205.4K

$852 ¥136.3K

50.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ¥130.1K

$668 ¥106.8K

21.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,119 ¥978.7K

$4,621 ¥739.1K

32.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 ¥335.5K

$2,324 ¥371.7K

-9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,968 ¥314.7K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Osaka and $316 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Osaka vs $21.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $274 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,028 in Osaka and $1,818 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: $732 in Osaka versus $316 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $34.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,212 in Nagasaki versus $1,352 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 12% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.