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: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,237 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Osaka versus $1,921 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,737 in Osaka versus $2,604 in Narita.

Living in Osaka is roughly 9% more expensive than Narita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Narita is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$5.43 ¥869

27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.23 ¥5,475

$41.86 ¥6,694

-18.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥778

$4.89 ¥783

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥527

$3.10 ¥495

6.13%

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

$1.08 ¥174

$0.81 ¥129

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.76 ¥122

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥450

$2.04 ¥326

38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥687

$3.07 ¥491

40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.24 ¥198

28.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥238

$0.93 ¥149

60.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥749

$4.94 ¥791

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.18 ¥349

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥1,679

$10.24 ¥1,637

2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,013

$6.20 ¥992

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥3,068

$15.20 ¥2,431

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$5.98 ¥956

-38.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$3.21 ¥514

-34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$4.00 ¥640

-35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$6.01 ¥961

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥274

$3.35 ¥536

-48.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥200

$4.29 ¥687

-70.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.33 ¥212

2.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.83 ¥132

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥615

$3.30 ¥527

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$9.34 ¥1,494

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$1.76 ¥281

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.02 ¥323

45.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.62 ¥258

-1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 ¥5,768

$56.1 ¥8,966

-35.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.38 ¥541

34.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 ¥540

$1.61 ¥258

109.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.20 ¥3,710

$21.98 ¥3,516

5.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.11 ¥178

9.91%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$20.5K ¥3.3M

15.02%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-6.60%

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

$132 ¥21.0K

$145 ¥23.2K

-9.31%

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

$27.19 ¥4,349

$27.90 ¥4,462

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 ¥4,881

$31.00 ¥4,958

-1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ¥9,170

$56.8 ¥9,082

0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 ¥3,390

$13.80 ¥2,207

53.55%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,957

$12.59 ¥2,014

-2.78%

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

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$286 ¥45.8K

-76.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-22.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,144

$41.20 ¥6,590

8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,740

$29.35 ¥4,695

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥10.9K

$59.0 ¥9,431

15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

$113 ¥18.1K

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥117.0K

$502 ¥80.3K

45.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.6K

$341 ¥54.5K

36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ¥205.4K

$880 ¥140.7K

45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ¥130.1K

$670 ¥107.1K

21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,119 ¥978.7K

$4,028 ¥644.2K

51.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 ¥335.5K

$2,454 ¥392.4K

-14.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,968 ¥314.7K

$1,264 ¥202.2K

55.62%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Narita: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Osaka and $502 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 56% 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: $34.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Narita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $318 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. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Osaka pays 56% 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 $502 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 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.3 in Osaka versus $286 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Narita versus $1,352 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 9% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.