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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $968 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,610 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,253 in Oita.

Living in Osaka is roughly 39% more expensive than in Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Oita 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$4.96 ¥775

23.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$42.11 ¥6,579

-26.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.74 ¥896

-16.20%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$1.94 ¥302

51.03%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.06 ¥166

34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.61 ¥95.8

13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$3.20 ¥500

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$2.14 ¥335

70.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.32 ¥206

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.24 ¥194

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$6.22 ¥972

-15.59%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.19 ¥342

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$3.05 ¥477

221.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$5.46 ¥853

68.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$12.55 ¥1,960

44.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$2.19 ¥342

54.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$1.27 ¥198

50.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$1.58 ¥247

25.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$2.00 ¥312

94.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$1.24 ¥194

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$1.28 ¥200

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$0.91 ¥142

41.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.98 ¥153

-17.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.80 ¥594

1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$6.27 ¥980

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.58 ¥246

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$1.88 ¥293

71.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.48 ¥231

-8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$55.6 ¥8,682

-42.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$4.02 ¥627

-6.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.02 ¥315

50.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$17.55 ¥2,742

19.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.10 ¥172

-0.91%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.2K ¥3.3M

0.69%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-10.96%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$49.78 ¥7,776

173.52%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$25.01 ¥3,908

-4.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$32.56 ¥5,086

-5.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$49.61 ¥7,750

-2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$9.50 ¥1,485

26.74%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$123 ¥19.3K

321.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$12.1K ¥1.9M

8.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$37.43 ¥5,848

17.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$23.59 ¥3,685

25.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$59.4 ¥9,275

22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$46.28 ¥7,230

91.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$468 ¥73.0K

49.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$320 ¥50.0K

58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,076 ¥168.1K

56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$717 ¥112.0K

6.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,407 ¥688.4K

27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,908 ¥298.1K

-4.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

$992 ¥154.9K

126.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.97

12.18%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $468 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 126% 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: $31.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Oita. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $214, 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 39% 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.

Average pay runs 126% 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: $699 in Osaka versus $468 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $123 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Osaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $968 in Oita versus $1,346 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 $968 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 39% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.