Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shizuoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shizuoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,280 in Shizuoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,942 in Shizuoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,605 in Shizuoka.

Living in Osaka is roughly 4% more expensive than in Shizuoka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Shizuoka is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$6.79 ¥1,103

4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,676

$34.49 ¥5,605

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.06 ¥823

-5.93%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.49 ¥568

-7.74%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.06 ¥172

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.77 ¥125

-7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.11 ¥343

34.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$2.09 ¥340

101.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.62 ¥263

-4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.54 ¥250

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.25 ¥690

8.71%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$1.58 ¥257

54.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,717

$10.63 ¥1,727

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.65 ¥1,081

-1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.53 ¥2,525

20.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.44 ¥885

-32.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.51 ¥408

-15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$3.92 ¥637

-36.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$4.14 ¥672

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$2.90 ¥471

-43.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.55 ¥415

-49.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.54 ¥250

-11.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.38 ¥224

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.78 ¥776

-19.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$8.82 ¥1,434

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$2.05 ¥333

2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.40 ¥553

-15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$2.05 ¥333

-18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,808

$22.79 ¥3,704

56.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.19 ¥680

10.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.02 ¥328

61.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,815

$20.50 ¥3,332

14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥192

$1.20 ¥195

-1.67%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$27.8K ¥4.5M

-17.92%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.6K ¥2.9M

-1.91%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$230 ¥37.4K

-41.66%

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

$27.44 ¥4,459

$16.69 ¥2,713

64.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,942

$39.95 ¥6,492

-23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,399

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-40.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,442

$14.10 ¥2,291

50.21%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$11.65 ¥1,894

5.75%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$242 ¥39.3K

-71.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.5K ¥2.2M

-21.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,231

$45.11 ¥7,332

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,798

$29.19 ¥4,744

1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

-2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$97.4 ¥15.8K

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$383 ¥62.2K

89.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.4K

$280 ¥45.5K

70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.4K

$659 ¥107.1K

97.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.4K

$569 ¥92.5K

45.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.6K

$4,382 ¥712.2K

34.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.3K

$2,093 ¥340.2K

-2.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.1K

$2,126 ¥345.5K

-12.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

81.00%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $383 in Shizuoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Shizuoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $316, 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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Shizuoka differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,280 including rent). Shizuoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Shizuoka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $727 in Osaka versus $383 in Shizuoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shizuoka 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 $242 in Shizuoka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,280 in Shizuoka versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shizuoka but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.