Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Shizuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Shizuoka: $1,138 a month against $1,362 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Osaka
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Osaka Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Shizuoka
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Shizuoka Living Index

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Osaka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,362

/mo nomad

Shizuoka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Osaka and in Shizuoka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Osaka and in Shizuoka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Osaka versus $1,138 in Shizuoka.

Osaka $1,362
Shizuoka $1,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,986 in Osaka versus $1,789 in Shizuoka.

Osaka $1,986
Shizuoka $1,789

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,609 in Osaka versus $2,441 in Shizuoka.

Osaka $2,609
Shizuoka $2,441

Living in Osaka is roughly 20% more expensive than in Shizuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 1% above, Shizuoka is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ¥1,021

$6.42 ¥1,015

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.30 ¥4,945

$31.81 ¥5,026

-1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥774

$5.08 ¥802

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ¥468

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

$1.37 ¥216

$0.97 ¥152

41.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥116

$0.76 ¥119

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥432

$2.75 ¥435

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥614

$3.83 ¥605

1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥230

$1.51 ¥239

-3.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥203

$1.25 ¥198

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 ¥835

$4.49 ¥709

17.82%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥323

$1.83 ¥289

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ¥1,522

$7.11 ¥1,123

35.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 ¥1,489

$5.40 ¥853

74.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 ¥2,878

$14.11 ¥2,229

29.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ¥523

$3.29 ¥519

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ¥305

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ¥321

$3.42 ¥541

-40.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ¥654

$3.13 ¥495

32.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ¥240

$1.51 ¥239

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ¥187

$1.13 ¥179

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥216

$1.11 ¥176

23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.86 ¥135

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥611

$3.86 ¥610

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 ¥1,507

$8.70 ¥1,375

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥307

$1.48 ¥233

31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥485

$3.24 ¥512

-5.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ¥212

$1.79 ¥283

-25.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 ¥5,055

$53.9 ¥8,514

-40.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ¥611

$3.46 ¥546

11.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 ¥507

$1.86 ¥293

72.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.07 ¥3,328

$19.01 ¥3,003

10.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥167

$1.04 ¥165

1.92%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-0.68%

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

$14.9K ¥2.4M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

-2.51%

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

$138 ¥21.7K

$138 ¥21.8K

-0.31%

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

$24.11 ¥3,809

$15.18 ¥2,398

58.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.75 ¥4,857

$30.16 ¥4,764

1.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ¥7,997

$52.6 ¥8,316

-3.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥2,921

$10.82 ¥1,709

70.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 ¥1,855

$12.21 ¥1,928

-3.85%

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

$513 ¥81.0K

$320 ¥50.5K

60.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.11 ¥7,442

$18.49 ¥2,921

154.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.51 ¥4,820

$21.38 ¥3,378

42.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ¥11.3K

$61.6 ¥9,725

16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

-0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥110.3K

$331 ¥52.3K

110.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ¥78.6K

$333 ¥52.6K

49.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 ¥266.5K

$1,084 ¥171.2K

55.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 ¥119.3K

$731 ¥115.5K

3.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,157 ¥972.7K

$4,146 ¥655.0K

48.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 ¥310.3K

$1,741 ¥275.0K

12.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 ¥377.0K

$2,232 ¥352.7K

6.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

121.00%

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

Last update for Osaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Osaka

$498 36.5%

Shizuoka

$333 29.3% 33.2% $165

Groceries & Markets

Osaka

$301 22.1%

Shizuoka

$254 22.3% 15.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Osaka

$192 14.1%

Shizuoka

$183 16.1% 4.7% $9.1

Eating Out

Osaka

$132 9.7%

Shizuoka

$131 11.5% 1% $1.3

Clothing & Footwear

Osaka

$108 7.9%

Shizuoka

$86 7.6% 19.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Osaka

$74 5.4%

Shizuoka

$77 6.8% 4% $3

Getting Around

Osaka

$57 4.2%

Shizuoka

$74 6.5% 28.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $698 in Osaka and $331 in Shizuoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 7% 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: $31.00 in Osaka vs $32.00 in Shizuoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $254, with Shizuoka cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Osaka

🇯🇵 Shizuoka

🕒 Local time

17:03 5:03 PM

Same time as Osaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,691,185

701,803

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 20% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,138 including rent). Shizuoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $698 in Osaka versus $331 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 68% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $513 in Osaka versus $320 in Shizuoka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,138 in Shizuoka versus $1,362 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 20% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.