Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sagamihara Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sagamihara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,196 in Sagamihara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,912 in Sagamihara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,629 in Sagamihara.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than in Sagamihara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Sagamihara 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$8.47 ¥1,318

-27.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$30.94 ¥4,816

-0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$4.95 ¥771

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$2.43 ¥379

20.58%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.23 ¥191

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.88 ¥137

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$3.15 ¥490

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.15 ¥491

15.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$0.91 ¥141

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$0.65 ¥100

96.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$4.08 ¥635

28.68%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$1.94 ¥301

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$15.45 ¥2,404

-36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$6.76 ¥1,053

35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$17.01 ¥2,647

6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$2.18 ¥339

55.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$1.60 ¥248

19.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$5.02 ¥782

-60.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$7.69 ¥1,197

-49.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$4.05 ¥630

-61.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$4.67 ¥727

-74.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.16 ¥181

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.46 ¥70.8

76.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.90 ¥608

-1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$9.63 ¥1,498

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$2.52 ¥393

-25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.13 ¥332

51.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.53 ¥238

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$48.05 ¥7,478

-33.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.17 ¥494

18.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.87 ¥447

5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$15.78 ¥2,455

33.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.06 ¥164

2.83%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-2.34%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

2.35%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$114 ¥17.8K

18.98%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$23.37 ¥3,637

2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$30.34 ¥4,722

0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$56.9 ¥8,855

-14.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$11.33 ¥1,763

6.27%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$562 ¥87.5K

-7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$50.0 ¥7,785

-11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$36.12 ¥5,621

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$60.4 ¥9,406

20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$98.7 ¥15.4K

-10.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$455 ¥70.7K

53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$317 ¥49.4K

59.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$946 ¥147.2K

77.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$664 ¥103.4K

14.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$4,028 ¥626.9K

39.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$1,872 ¥291.4K

-2.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.66

33.13%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $455 in Sagamihara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $31.00 in Sagamihara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $318 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 Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Sagamihara differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,196 including rent). Sagamihara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,793 in Sagamihara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $699 in Osaka versus $455 in Sagamihara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sagamihara runs roughly 50% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $562 in Sagamihara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,196 in Sagamihara versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sagamihara but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Sagamihara 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 Sagamihara 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 Sagamihara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.