Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sendai Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sendai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,237 in Sendai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,903 in Sendai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,569 in Sendai.

Living in Osaka is roughly 11% more expensive than Sendai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Sendai is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,115

$6.67 ¥1,069

4.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,543

$34.00 ¥5,451

1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥798

$4.92 ¥789

1.22%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥533

$3.83 ¥614

-13.05%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.57 ¥251

-31.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥120

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥439

$3.55 ¥569

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥697

$3.39 ¥544

28.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.48 ¥237

8.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.18 ¥190

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥779

$3.85 ¥618

26.23%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥394

$1.87 ¥300

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,672

$10.16 ¥1,628

2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,023

$7.43 ¥1,191

-14.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,984

$9.43 ¥1,512

97.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥565

$5.36 ¥859

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.30 ¥369

-4.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥398

$4.95 ¥794

-49.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥691

$3.62 ¥581

19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥272

$2.62 ¥420

-35.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥206

$1.98 ¥318

-35.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.14 ¥183

21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.81 ¥130

4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥631

$4.88 ¥782

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,486

$6.94 ¥1,113

33.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥480

$2.71 ¥435

10.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.71 ¥274

-5.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,823

$49.39 ¥7,917

-26.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥731

$5.60 ¥898

-18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥531

$1.36 ¥217

143.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,839

$20.16 ¥3,231

18.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.18 ¥189

0.85%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$20.7K ¥3.3M

13.80%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$28.2K ¥4.5M

-40.09%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$173 ¥27.7K

-22.07%

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

$27.60 ¥4,424

$23.14 ¥3,709

19.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,868

$31.51 ¥5,051

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,480

$55.1 ¥8,824

7.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,269

$13.93 ¥2,233

46.37%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,982

$12.32 ¥1,974

0.32%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$314 ¥50.4K

-78.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$6,305 ¥1.0M

67.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,065

$61.9 ¥9,920

-28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,723

$38.89 ¥6,233

-24.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$51.7 ¥8,290

29.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$76.6 ¥12.3K

23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥115.0K

$446 ¥71.5K

60.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.4K

$326 ¥52.3K

47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥210.1K

$825 ¥132.3K

58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.3K

$633 ¥101.4K

27.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥953.9K

$2,656 ¥425.8K

124.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥329.3K

$1,419 ¥227.5K

44.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥311.5K

$1,134 ¥181.8K

71.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-39.67%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $446 in Sendai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 71% 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 Sendai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $280 per month, with Sendai 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 Sendai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Sendai differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,237 including rent). Sendai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 71% 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 $446 in Sendai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sendai runs roughly 36% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $314 in Sendai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Sendai versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sendai but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Sendai 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 Sendai 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 Sendai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.