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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,218 in Nagasaki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $1,844 in Nagasaki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,470 in Nagasaki.

Living in Osaka is roughly 14% more expensive than in Nagasaki, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Nagasaki is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,038

$5.21 ¥813

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,006

$19.09 ¥2,979

68.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥818

$5.08 ¥792

3.35%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.41 ¥532

-10.56%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.02 ¥159

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.65 ¥101

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥435

$2.23 ¥347

25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$2.33 ¥363

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.57 ¥245

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.97 ¥307

-33.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$6.30 ¥982

-12.86%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.15 ¥335

-3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,535

$9.77 ¥1,524

0.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,510

$3.21 ¥501

201.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,900

$19.61 ¥3,059

-5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥535

$3.70 ¥577

-7.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$1.84 ¥286

10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$3.00 ¥467

-29.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥651

$3.34 ¥522

25.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.30 ¥358

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.56 ¥399

-52.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.11 ¥173

22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$1.01 ¥158

-20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$4.05 ¥633

-1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,481

$6.36 ¥993

49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.78 ¥277

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥499

$1.94 ¥303

64.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.35 ¥210

4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,124

$58.5 ¥9,125

-43.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.96 ¥618

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.09 ¥326

53.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,459

$18.67 ¥2,912

18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.06%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-13.03%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$195 ¥30.4K

-28.30%

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

$24.68 ¥3,851

$25.63 ¥3,999

-3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,842

$34.84 ¥5,437

-10.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,282

$48.26 ¥7,531

9.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,918

$11.25 ¥1,756

9.33%

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

$529 ¥82.5K

$130 ¥20.3K

307.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$12.4K ¥1.9M

7.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,635

$38.36 ¥5,986

27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,969

$24.70 ¥3,854

28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$61.0 ¥9,522

24.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$48.40 ¥7,552

94.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.6K

$506 ¥78.9K

43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.8K

$312 ¥48.7K

63.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.5K

$1,033 ¥161.1K

69.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.4K

$776 ¥121.1K

0.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥994.8K

$3,749 ¥584.9K

70.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.6K

$1,816 ¥283.4K

7.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.85

19.46%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $506 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Osaka vs $19.00 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $286 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,089 in Osaka and $1,827 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: $728 in Osaka versus $506 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $19.00 versus $32.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,218 in Nagasaki versus $1,393 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.