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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,317 in Otsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $1,920 in Otsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,523 in Otsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Otsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Otsu is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$8.79 ¥1,373

-24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$32.79 ¥5,121

-2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$5.05 ¥789

3.96%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$3.20 ¥500

-4.69%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.26 ¥197

11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.83 ¥130

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$3.29 ¥514

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$4.42 ¥690

-12.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.56 ¥244

-5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.60 ¥250

-18.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$4.63 ¥723

18.57%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.29 ¥357

-9.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$16.04 ¥2,504

-38.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$6.58 ¥1,027

47.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$17.75 ¥2,772

4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$5.33 ¥832

-35.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.65 ¥413

-23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$5.07 ¥791

-57.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$4.49 ¥701

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.23 ¥348

-28.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$1.89 ¥295

-35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.16 ¥182

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.94 ¥147

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.97 ¥620

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$9.77 ¥1,526

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.09 ¥327

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.14 ¥335

49.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.54 ¥241

-8.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$59.1 ¥9,222

-44.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.16 ¥494

24.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.96 ¥462

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$28.60 ¥4,467

-22.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$22.1K ¥3.4M

1.54%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

1.25%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$117 ¥18.3K

19.48%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$23.73 ¥3,706

4.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$31.66 ¥4,945

-1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$52.2 ¥8,153

1.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

$9.81 ¥1,532

94.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$12.51 ¥1,954

-1.68%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$577 ¥90.1K

-8.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$13.0K ¥2.0M

1.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$57.9 ¥9,034

-15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$36.39 ¥5,683

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$71.0 ¥11.1K

7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$100 ¥15.7K

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$458 ¥71.5K

59.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$382 ¥59.6K

34.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$654 ¥102.2K

167.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$468 ¥73.1K

66.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$3,775 ¥589.6K

68.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,790 ¥279.5K

9.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$1,846 ¥288.3K

26.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.1

5.24%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Otsu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $458 in Otsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 27% 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: $32.00 in Osaka vs $33.00 in Otsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $339 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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Otsu differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,317 including rent). Otsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $728 in Osaka versus $458 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 80% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Osaka versus $577 in Otsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,317 in Otsu versus $1,393 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 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.