Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shiso Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shiso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,106 in Shiso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,996 in Shiso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,887 in Shiso.

Living in Osaka is roughly 24% more expensive than Shiso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Shiso is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$8.17 ¥1,306

-14.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$67.6 ¥10.8K

-48.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$6.40 ¥1,024

-22.19%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.62 ¥579

-8.01%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.86 ¥137

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.70 ¥112

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.56 ¥409

7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.14 ¥503

38.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.60 ¥256

0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$2.97 ¥475

-51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.84 ¥774

0.41%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.23 ¥356

10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.22 ¥1,635

2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.23 ¥997

2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$27.03 ¥4,324

-31.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.36 ¥857

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.63 ¥420

-16.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.95 ¥632

-37.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$6.05 ¥968

-28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$4.48 ¥717

-62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$2.59 ¥415

-50.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.33 ¥212

4.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.84 ¥134

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.28 ¥684

-8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$7.40 ¥1,184

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.86 ¥298

14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.26 ¥361

32.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.34 ¥215

20.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$33.38 ¥5,340

8.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.50 ¥560

30.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.89 ¥463

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$21.17 ¥3,385

13.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.22 ¥196

-2.46%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.20%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-1.05%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$145 ¥23.2K

-6.90%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$67.3 ¥10.8K

-59.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$13.41 ¥2,145

126.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$37.17 ¥5,945

59.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.73 ¥2,196

48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$4.57 ¥732

170.46%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$279 ¥44.5K

-75.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-21.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$9.82 ¥1,571

348.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$28.89 ¥4,621

2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$33.14 ¥5,300

102.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$101 ¥16.1K

-5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$459 ¥73.4K

56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$167 ¥26.8K

188.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$881 ¥141.0K

48.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$668 ¥106.9K

20.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,211 ¥673.6K

41.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$1,988 ¥318.0K

3.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shiso: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $459 in Shiso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $68.0 in Shiso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $368 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 Shiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Shiso differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,106 including rent). Shiso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,658 in Shiso 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: $717 in Osaka versus $459 in Shiso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shiso runs roughly 9% 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 $279 in Shiso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,106 in Shiso versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shiso but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Shiso 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 Shiso 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 Shiso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.