Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Setagaya-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Setagaya-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,188 in Setagaya-ku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $1,879 in Setagaya-ku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,569 in Setagaya-ku.

Living in Osaka is roughly 17% more expensive than in Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Setagaya-ku is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,038

$6.62 ¥1,032

0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,006

$26.38 ¥4,116

21.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥818

$4.53 ¥707

15.89%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$2.99 ¥467

2.01%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.13 ¥177

24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.62 ¥96.7

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥435

$2.23 ¥349

25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.30 ¥514

17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.31 ¥205

12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.79 ¥279

-26.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$3.65 ¥569

50.41%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$1.27 ¥198

62.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,535

$12.25 ¥1,911

-19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,510

$6.14 ¥959

57.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,900

$14.99 ¥2,339

23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥535

$5.76 ¥899

-40.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.86 ¥446

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$2.92 ¥456

-27.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥651

$4.37 ¥682

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.68 ¥417

-40.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.72 ¥425

-55.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.32 ¥205

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.61 ¥94.6

31.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.74 ¥583

6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,481

$6.33 ¥988

49.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.85 ¥289

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.06 ¥322

55.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.53 ¥239

-7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,124

$59.9 ¥9,347

-45.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$2.73 ¥426

43.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.66 ¥414

20.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,459

$20.76 ¥3,239

6.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.09 ¥170

3.67%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

4.01%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$18.5K ¥2.9M

-15.92%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$135 ¥21.0K

3.63%

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

$24.68 ¥3,851

$25.07 ¥3,911

-1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,842

$33.43 ¥5,217

-7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,282

$53.4 ¥8,331

-0.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,918

$12.02 ¥1,875

2.33%

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

$529 ¥82.5K

$647 ¥100.9K

-18.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

-13.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,635

$39.00 ¥6,085

25.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,969

$33.04 ¥5,155

-3.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$61.9 ¥9,653

22.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$64.7 ¥10.1K

45.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.6K

$510 ¥79.6K

42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.8K

$341 ¥53.2K

50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.5K

$1,033 ¥161.1K

69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.4K

$721 ¥112.5K

7.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥994.8K

$3,653 ¥570.0K

74.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.6K

$1,563 ¥243.8K

25.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

$1,516 ¥236.5K

54.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

10.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $510 in Setagaya-ku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 55% 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 $26.00 in Setagaya-ku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $295 per month, with Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Setagaya-ku differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,188 including rent). Setagaya-ku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% 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 $510 in Setagaya-ku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Setagaya-ku runs roughly 82% 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 $647 in Setagaya-ku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,188 in Setagaya-ku versus $1,393 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Setagaya-ku but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.