Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Narita Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Narita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,268 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Osaka versus $1,951 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Osaka versus $2,635 in Narita.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Narita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Narita is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 ¥1,064

$5.65 ¥891

19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.24 ¥5,553

$41.07 ¥6,471

-14.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥749

$4.95 ¥781

-4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥518

$3.19 ¥503

3.13%

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

$1.10 ¥173

$0.80 ¥127

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥120

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥445

$2.14 ¥337

31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ¥695

$3.05 ¥480

44.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.23 ¥194

29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥227

$0.88 ¥139

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥753

$5.04 ¥794

-5.16%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥367

$2.29 ¥360

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,671

$10.27 ¥1,618

3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,007

$6.19 ¥975

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 ¥2,973

$15.22 ¥2,399

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥577

$6.05 ¥953

-39.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ¥334

$3.13 ¥493

-32.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ¥396

$3.91 ¥616

-35.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥699

$6.13 ¥965

-27.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥262

$3.34 ¥526

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ¥199

$4.19 ¥661

-69.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥209

$1.37 ¥217

-2.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥138

$0.88 ¥139

-1.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥625

$3.23 ¥509

22.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ¥1,426

$9.02 ¥1,421

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥320

$1.84 ¥290

10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ¥458

$2.11 ¥332

37.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥250

$1.66 ¥262

-4.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.37 ¥5,574

$55.6 ¥8,762

-36.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 ¥700

$3.45 ¥544

28.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 ¥528

$1.61 ¥254

108.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.70 ¥3,734

$22.48 ¥3,542

5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥188

$1.12 ¥176

6.25%

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

$23.1K ¥3.6M

$20.6K ¥3.2M

12.26%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.4K ¥2.9M

-8.14%

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

$135 ¥21.3K

$144 ¥22.8K

-6.55%

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

$27.52 ¥4,336

$27.91 ¥4,397

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,826

$31.60 ¥4,980

-3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 ¥9,020

$55.6 ¥8,764

2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ¥3,331

$14.09 ¥2,220

50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 ¥1,930

$12.42 ¥1,956

-1.37%

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

$68.0 ¥10.7K

$287 ¥45.2K

-76.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.6M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

-25.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,037

$42.25 ¥6,658

5.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ¥4,563

$29.56 ¥4,658

-2.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥10.8K

$61.2 ¥9,639

12.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ¥15.2K

$112 ¥17.6K

-13.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ¥113.6K

$503 ¥79.3K

43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥74.6K

$351 ¥55.4K

34.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 ¥204.5K

$875 ¥137.8K

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 ¥128.9K

$672 ¥105.9K

21.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,971 ¥940.9K

$4,599 ¥724.6K

29.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 ¥319.7K

$2,326 ¥366.5K

-12.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,868 ¥294.3K

$1,218 ¥191.9K

53.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

2.05

-11.71%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Last update for Narita: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Osaka and $503 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 53% 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $41.00 in Narita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $319 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 Narita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Narita is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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 $503 in Narita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 57% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.0 in Osaka versus $287 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,268 in Narita versus $1,347 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Narita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Narita 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 Narita 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 Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.