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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,177 in Setagaya-ku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,886 in Setagaya-ku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,595 in Setagaya-ku.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than in Setagaya-ku, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Setagaya-ku is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$7.04 ¥1,144

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.03 ¥5,530

2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.25 ¥853

-9.33%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.26 ¥530

-1.23%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.13 ¥184

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.77 ¥124

-7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.12 ¥345

33.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$2.04 ¥332

106.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.55 ¥252

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.72 ¥280

-16.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.95 ¥805

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$1.59 ¥258

53.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$9.91 ¥1,609

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.25 ¥1,015

5.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.22 ¥2,473

22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.96 ¥968

-38.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$3.10 ¥503

-31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$4.00 ¥649

-38.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$4.48 ¥729

1.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.25 ¥527

-49.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.67 ¥596

-64.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.38 ¥224

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.82 ¥134

6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.10 ¥666

-5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$9.36 ¥1,521

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.84 ¥298

14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.14 ¥348

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.49 ¥242

12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$56.3 ¥9,139

-36.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.54 ¥576

30.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.99 ¥486

9.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$22.45 ¥3,647

4.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.22 ¥198

-3.28%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

0.06%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-4.95%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$83.7 ¥13.6K

60.34%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.41 ¥4,453

0.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$34.46 ¥5,600

-11.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$48.43 ¥7,868

19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.61 ¥2,211

55.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$13.23 ¥2,149

-6.88%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$285 ¥46.3K

-76.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-22.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$42.41 ¥6,891

4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$24.10 ¥3,916

22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$44.69 ¥7,262

49.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$97.6 ¥15.9K

-0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$467 ¥75.8K

55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$330 ¥53.7K

44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$865 ¥140.5K

50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$664 ¥107.9K

24.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,241 ¥689.0K

39.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$1,788 ¥290.5K

14.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$1,417 ¥230.3K

31.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Setagaya-ku: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $467 in Setagaya-ku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 32% 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 Setagaya-ku. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $317, 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 Setagaya-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Setagaya-ku differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,177 including rent). Setagaya-ku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% 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 $467 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 57% 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 $285 in Setagaya-ku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,177 in Setagaya-ku versus $1,330 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 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.