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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,383 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $2,191 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $3,000 in Nagoya.

Living in Osaka is roughly 1% more expensive than in Nagoya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 2% above, Nagoya 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$8.52 ¥1,330

-21.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$32.95 ¥5,146

-2.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$5.07 ¥791

3.55%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$2.55 ¥399

19.61%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.32 ¥207

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.91 ¥142

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$3.19 ¥498

-12.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.25 ¥508

19.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.60 ¥249

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.54 ¥240

-14.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$4.25 ¥664

29.18%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.19 ¥341

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$16.44 ¥2,567

-40.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$7.32 ¥1,143

32.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$17.32 ¥2,704

7.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$8.41 ¥1,314

-59.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$3.13 ¥489

-34.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$5.02 ¥784

-57.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$7.91 ¥1,236

-47.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$4.20 ¥656

-61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$4.80 ¥749

-74.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.16 ¥181

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.94 ¥147

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.95 ¥618

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$9.86 ¥1,540

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.56 ¥400

-21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.20 ¥343

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.60 ¥251

-11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$93.4 ¥14.6K

-64.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.31 ¥518

18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.97 ¥464

7.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$15.97 ¥2,495

38.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.08 ¥169

4.63%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

-0.12%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

-0.41%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$117 ¥18.2K

19.95%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$24.27 ¥3,791

1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$31.71 ¥4,952

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$52.5 ¥8,197

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

$14.20 ¥2,218

34.08%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$11.57 ¥1,806

6.31%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$584 ¥91.3K

-9.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-12.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$52.5 ¥8,199

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$36.05 ¥5,630

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$61.9 ¥9,669

22.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$99.6 ¥15.6K

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$535 ¥83.5K

36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$365 ¥57.0K

40.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$1,228 ¥191.7K

42.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$743 ¥116.1K

4.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$2,073 ¥323.8K

207.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,088 ¥169.9K

80.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$2,006 ¥313.3K

16.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.66

33.13%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $535 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Osaka vs $33.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $391 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

Nagoya is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $728 in Osaka versus $535 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 185% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Osaka versus $584 in Nagoya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Nagoya versus $1,393 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.

Expats usually find Nagoya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.