Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Otsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Otsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,223 in Otsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,920 in Otsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,617 in Otsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 9% more expensive than in Otsu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Otsu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$8.50 ¥1,382

-16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.39 ¥5,587

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.47 ¥888

-12.98%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.01 ¥490

6.98%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$0.91 ¥149

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.72 ¥117

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$3.45 ¥560

-17.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.20 ¥520

31.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.69 ¥275

-8.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.71 ¥278

-16.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.10 ¥503

49.03%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.34 ¥379

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$9.56 ¥1,554

10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$7.71 ¥1,253

-14.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.61 ¥2,537

19.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.46 ¥887

-32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.60 ¥422

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$4.83 ¥785

-48.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$3.94 ¥641

15.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$1.60 ¥260

2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.37 ¥385

-45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.31 ¥212

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.01 ¥164

-13.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.06 ¥660

-4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$9.06 ¥1,472

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.80 ¥292

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.40 ¥390

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.59 ¥258

5.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$54.9 ¥8,916

-34.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.44 ¥559

34.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.93 ¥475

11.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$17.07 ¥2,773

37.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.19 ¥194

-0.84%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-0.07%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.8M

1.06%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$110 ¥17.9K

21.97%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$26.63 ¥4,326

3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$33.78 ¥5,488

-9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$54.9 ¥8,916

5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.64 ¥2,216

55.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$12.54 ¥2,037

-1.75%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$374 ¥60.7K

-81.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$7,474 ¥1.2M

41.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$45.41 ¥7,378

-2.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$31.67 ¥5,146

-6.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$56.1 ¥9,119

18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$92.5 ¥15.0K

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$468 ¥76.1K

55.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$323 ¥52.5K

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$856 ¥139.1K

51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$669 ¥108.8K

23.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,318 ¥701.6K

36.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,079 ¥337.7K

-1.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$1,769 ¥287.5K

5.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Otsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $468 in Otsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 5% 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 $34.00 in Otsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $311, with Osaka 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Otsu differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,223 including rent). Otsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $727 in Osaka versus $468 in Otsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Otsu runs roughly 54% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka versus $374 in Otsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in Otsu versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Otsu 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 Otsu 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.