Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Oita Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Oita

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,147 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,739 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,330 in Oita.

Living in Osaka is roughly 19% more expensive than Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Oita is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$5.43 ¥868

27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$41.03 ¥6,563

-15.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$6.13 ¥980

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$2.07 ¥330

60.87%

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

$1.08 ¥173

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.68 ¥108

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$3.40 ¥544

-19.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.20 ¥512

35.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.31 ¥210

22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.34 ¥215

6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.08 ¥653

19.12%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.51 ¥401

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$5.91 ¥945

76.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.11 ¥978

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$11.37 ¥1,819

63.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.38 ¥860

-34.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$5.00 ¥800

-56.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$5.19 ¥830

-52.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$2.28 ¥365

89.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$1.37 ¥219

23.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.42 ¥228

-9.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.18 ¥189

17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.76 ¥121

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.96 ¥634

-0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$6.35 ¥1,016

45.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.00 ¥320

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.12 ¥339

41.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.27 ¥204

26.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$34.59 ¥5,533

5.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.55 ¥568

28.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$1.96 ¥314

68.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$19.67 ¥3,147

21.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.22 ¥195

-2.46%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.24%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$14.6K ¥2.3M

15.79%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$83.2 ¥13.3K

62.12%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.80 ¥4,287

2.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$22.56 ¥3,608

34.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$57.7 ¥9,232

2.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$6.88 ¥1,100

196.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$10.34 ¥1,654

19.54%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$424 ¥67.9K

-83.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-22.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$39.51 ¥6,320

11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$28.90 ¥4,622

1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$67.2 ¥10.7K

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$94.0 ¥15.0K

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$455 ¥72.8K

57.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$373 ¥59.6K

29.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$765 ¥122.3K

71.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$549 ¥87.8K

46.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$3,984 ¥637.2K

49.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,048 ¥327.6K

0.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,272 ¥203.5K

52.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.5

20.67%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Oita: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $455 in Oita. 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 Oita. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $272, with Oita cheaper for home cooking.

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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Osaka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Osaka pays 53% 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: $717 in Osaka versus $455 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $424 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,147 in Oita versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Oita delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,147 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Oita hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Oita 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 Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.