Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagoya Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Nagoya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,345 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Osaka versus $2,145 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Osaka versus $2,945 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs are close between Osaka and Nagoya; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 1% above, Nagoya 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,064

$6.80 ¥1,071

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.24 ¥5,553

$35.26 ¥5,556

-0.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥749

$5.45 ¥859

-12.84%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥518

$3.09 ¥486

6.47%

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

$1.10 ¥173

$1.21 ¥190

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥120

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥445

$2.02 ¥318

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ¥695

$3.21 ¥506

37.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.60 ¥252

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥227

$1.78 ¥280

-19.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥753

$4.90 ¥773

-2.45%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥367

$2.22 ¥350

4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,671

$10.11 ¥1,593

4.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,007

$6.39 ¥1,006

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 ¥2,973

$15.13 ¥2,384

24.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥577

$8.93 ¥1,407

-59.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ¥334

$2.88 ¥453

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥396

$4.08 ¥643

-38.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥699

$5.86 ¥923

-24.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥262

$3.97 ¥625

-57.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ¥199

$2.64 ¥416

-52.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥209

$1.38 ¥218

-3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥138

$1.42 ¥224

-38.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥625

$3.53 ¥555

12.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ¥1,426

$9.38 ¥1,478

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥320

$1.78 ¥280

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ¥458

$2.14 ¥337

35.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.64 ¥259

-3.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.37 ¥5,574

$69.4 ¥10.9K

-49.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥700

$3.53 ¥556

26.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 ¥528

$2.85 ¥450

17.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 ¥3,734

$17.54 ¥2,764

35.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.22 ¥193

-2.46%

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

$23.1K ¥3.6M

$23.5K ¥3.7M

-1.60%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$16.7K ¥2.6M

1.24%

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

$135 ¥21.3K

$141 ¥22.3K

-4.51%

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

$27.52 ¥4,336

$26.86 ¥4,232

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,826

$33.67 ¥5,305

-9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 ¥9,020

$55.7 ¥8,772

2.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ¥3,331

$18.46 ¥2,908

14.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 ¥1,930

$12.39 ¥1,952

-1.13%

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

$68.0 ¥10.7K

$468 ¥73.7K

-85.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$11.5K ¥1.8M

-8.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,037

$45.37 ¥7,149

-1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ¥4,563

$29.91 ¥4,713

-3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥10.8K

$56.0 ¥8,827

22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ¥15.2K

$91.7 ¥14.4K

5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ¥113.6K

$596 ¥93.9K

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥74.6K

$406 ¥64.0K

16.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ¥204.5K

$1,355 ¥213.4K

-4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 ¥128.9K

$852 ¥134.2K

-3.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,971 ¥940.9K

$2,398 ¥377.9K

149.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 ¥319.7K

$1,083 ¥170.6K

87.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 ¥294.3K

$1,842 ¥290.3K

1.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Osaka and $596 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 1% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $349 per month, with Osaka 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 Nagoya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 1% higher in Osaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Osaka versus $596 in Nagoya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nagoya runs roughly 96% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Osaka pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,345 in Nagoya versus $1,347 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagoya but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Nagoya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nagoya 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 Nagoya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Nagoya wins on affordability, Osaka on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.