Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shiga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,205 in Shiga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Osaka versus $1,868 in Shiga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,737 in Osaka versus $2,530 in Shiga.

Living in Osaka is roughly 12% more expensive than Shiga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Shiga is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.80 ¥1,087

2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.23 ¥5,475

$34.05 ¥5,446

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥778

$4.96 ¥793

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$3.29 ¥527

$2.70 ¥431

21.85%

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

$1.08 ¥174

$1.09 ¥175

-0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.76 ¥122

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥450

$2.78 ¥445

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥687

$4.23 ¥677

1.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.31 ¥209

21.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.41 ¥226

5.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥749

$4.04 ¥646

15.84%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥386

$2.44 ¥390

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ¥1,679

$10.61 ¥1,697

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,013

$6.46 ¥1,034

-2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.18 ¥3,068

$19.01 ¥3,040

0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$3.66 ¥585

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥338

$2.09 ¥334

0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$2.61 ¥417

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥727

$4.34 ¥694

4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ¥274

$1.66 ¥265

3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.29 ¥207

-3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.32 ¥212

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.89 ¥142

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ¥615

$3.97 ¥635

-3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,460

$9.23 ¥1,477

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$2.11 ¥338

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.97 ¥475

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.67 ¥266

-4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 ¥5,768

$55.4 ¥8,858

-34.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.56 ¥730

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 ¥540

$3.32 ¥531

1.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.20 ¥3,710

$23.32 ¥3,730

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.16 ¥185

5.17%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.6M

3.53%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

1.35%

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

$132 ¥21.0K

$134 ¥21.5K

-2.02%

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

$27.19 ¥4,349

$27.40 ¥4,382

-0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 ¥4,881

$30.82 ¥4,929

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ¥9,170

$56.2 ¥8,987

2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 ¥3,390

$13.92 ¥2,227

52.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 ¥1,957

$12.63 ¥2,020

-3.09%

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

$68.3 ¥10.9K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

-1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$10.2K ¥1.6M

3.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.66 ¥7,144

$44.76 ¥7,159

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,740

$29.23 ¥4,674

1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥10.9K

$66.6 ¥10.7K

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥117.0K

$466 ¥74.5K

57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.6K

$324 ¥51.9K

43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ¥205.4K

$854 ¥136.5K

50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 ¥130.1K

$651 ¥104.2K

24.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,119 ¥978.7K

$4,201 ¥671.9K

45.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 ¥335.5K

$2,670 ¥427.0K

-21.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,968 ¥314.7K

$1,176 ¥188.1K

67.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

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

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Last update for Shiga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Osaka and $466 in Shiga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 67% 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: $34.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Shiga. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $296, with Shiga 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 Shiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Shiga differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,352 vs $1,205 including rent). Shiga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 67% 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: $732 in Osaka versus $466 in Shiga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shiga runs roughly 54% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.3 in Osaka versus $69.5 in Shiga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Shiga versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shiga but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Shiga 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 Shiga 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 Shiga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.