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: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,353 in Nagoya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Osaka versus $2,135 in Nagoya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,737 in Osaka versus $2,916 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

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.83 ¥1,092

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.23 ¥5,475

$34.68 ¥5,547

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥778

$5.59 ¥893

-12.88%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥527

$3.06 ¥489

7.52%

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

$1.08 ¥174

$1.19 ¥191

-9.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.76 ¥122

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥450

$2.13 ¥341

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥687

$3.21 ¥513

33.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.64 ¥262

-3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.79 ¥286

-16.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥749

$4.86 ¥777

-3.70%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.21 ¥353

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥1,679

$10.16 ¥1,625

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,013

$6.40 ¥1,024

-1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥3,068

$15.23 ¥2,436

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$9.22 ¥1,475

-59.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$2.86 ¥458

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$3.91 ¥625

-33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$6.20 ¥992

-26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥274

$3.99 ¥638

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥200

$2.69 ¥431

-53.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.32 ¥212

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$1.40 ¥223

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥615

$3.54 ¥566

8.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$9.35 ¥1,496

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$1.82 ¥291

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.03 ¥325

44.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.70 ¥271

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 ¥5,768

$70.6 ¥11.3K

-48.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.55 ¥568

28.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 ¥540

$2.86 ¥457

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.20 ¥3,710

$17.63 ¥2,819

31.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.17 ¥188

4.27%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

0.82%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-0.34%

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

$132 ¥21.0K

$140 ¥22.3K

-5.74%

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

$27.19 ¥4,349

$27.18 ¥4,347

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 ¥4,881

$34.43 ¥5,506

-11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ¥9,170

$56.5 ¥9,041

1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 ¥3,390

$18.79 ¥3,004

12.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,957

$12.47 ¥1,994

-1.84%

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

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$467 ¥74.7K

-85.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$11.2K ¥1.8M

-5.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,144

$45.91 ¥7,342

-2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,740

$29.46 ¥4,712

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥10.9K

$56.2 ¥8,984

21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

$91.6 ¥14.6K

5.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥117.0K

$598 ¥95.7K

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.6K

$414 ¥66.2K

12.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ¥205.4K

$1,320 ¥211.2K

-2.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ¥130.1K

$852 ¥136.3K

-4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,119 ¥978.7K

$2,538 ¥405.9K

141.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 ¥335.5K

$1,117 ¥178.7K

87.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,968 ¥314.7K

$1,906 ¥304.9K

3.21%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nagoya: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Osaka and $598 in Nagoya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $34.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Nagoya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $352 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

Osaka pays 3% more on average, 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: $732 in Osaka versus $598 in Nagoya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Nagoya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,353 in Nagoya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Nagoya. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Osaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nagoya, 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 – Osaka wins on affordability, Nagoya on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.