Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Obihiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Obihiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,393 per month in Osaka vs $1,260 in Obihiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Osaka vs $1,993 in Obihiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Osaka vs $2,727 in Obihiro, rent included.

Osaka costs about 11% more than Obihiro, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Osaka sits 2% above the global median, while Obihiro is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,038

$8.07 ¥1,259

-17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,006

$32.31 ¥5,041

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥818

$5.14 ¥802

2.14%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.12 ¥486

-2.24%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.09 ¥171

29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$1.58 ¥246

-55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥435

$2.54 ¥396

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.08 ¥481

25.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.47 ¥229

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.59 ¥248

-17.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$4.26 ¥664

28.87%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.13 ¥332

-2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,535

$11.14 ¥1,738

-11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,510

$5.92 ¥924

63.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,900

$16.60 ¥2,590

11.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥535

$5.74 ¥896

-40.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.70 ¥421

-24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$3.37 ¥526

-36.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥651

$4.07 ¥635

2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.17 ¥339

-26.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.47 ¥385

-51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.32 ¥205

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.81 ¥126

-1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.96 ¥617

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,481

$6.38 ¥995

48.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.14 ¥334

-6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.20 ¥343

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.56 ¥243

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,124

$57.9 ¥9,037

-43.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$2.87 ¥449

36.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.95 ¥460

8.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,459

$22.75 ¥3,549

-2.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$0.96 ¥150

17.71%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$19.1K ¥3.0M

17.17%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

6.47%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$135 ¥21.0K

3.64%

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

$24.68 ¥3,851

$24.89 ¥3,884

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,842

$32.20 ¥5,025

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,282

$59.3 ¥9,256

-10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,918

$11.40 ¥1,779

7.89%

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

$529 ¥82.5K

$567 ¥88.5K

-6.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-10.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,635

$52.0 ¥8,111

-5.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,969

$32.88 ¥5,131

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$62.6 ¥9,762

21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$93.4 ¥14.6K

0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.6K

$504 ¥78.7K

44.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.8K

$340 ¥53.1K

50.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.5K

$1,070 ¥167.0K

63.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.4K

$652 ¥101.8K

19.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥994.8K

$3,339 ¥521.0K

90.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.6K

$1,617 ¥252.3K

21.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.09

5.74%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Obihiro: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Osaka versus $504 in Obihiro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Osaka versus $32.00 in Obihiro. Groceries tell a different story – $308 in Osaka vs $302 in Obihiro – so Obihiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Obihiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,393 in Osaka, $1,260 in Obihiro – roughly 11% apart. Osaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,089 per month in Osaka and $1,890 in Obihiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Obihiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Osaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Osaka and $32.00 in Obihiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Osaka at $1,393. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Osaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Osaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Obihiro to $1,393 in Osaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Obihiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Osaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.