Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Takamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Takamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,249 in Takamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,929 in Takamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,609 in Takamatsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Takamatsu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Takamatsu is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$6.94 ¥1,128

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.60 ¥5,621

0.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.24 ¥851

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.09 ¥501

4.21%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.06 ¥171

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.76 ¥124

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.59 ¥420

9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.10 ¥504

35.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.64 ¥266

-6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.59 ¥259

-10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$1.96 ¥318

135.71%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.46 ¥400

-0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.07 ¥1,636

4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.30 ¥1,024

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.72 ¥2,554

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.31 ¥863

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.60 ¥422

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$3.94 ¥640

-37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$5.84 ¥948

-22.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.05 ¥496

-46.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.56 ¥417

-49.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.38 ¥225

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.89 ¥144

-2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.13 ¥671

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$7.94 ¥1,289

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.89 ¥307

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.24 ¥364

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$55.9 ¥9,081

-36.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.49 ¥568

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$3.00 ¥488

9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$21.05 ¥3,420

11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-0.09%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

0.22%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$144 ¥23.4K

-6.92%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.09 ¥4,401

1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$33.52 ¥5,446

-9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$55.5 ¥9,009

4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.63 ¥2,215

55.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$12.26 ¥1,992

0.49%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$285 ¥46.3K

-76.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-19.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$42.93 ¥6,975

3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.82 ¥4,845

-1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$59.8 ¥9,709

11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$92.2 ¥15.0K

5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$466 ¥75.8K

55.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$330 ¥53.5K

44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$856 ¥139.1K

51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$647 ¥105.2K

27.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$3,934 ¥639.2K

50.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$1,997 ¥324.5K

2.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$1,719 ¥279.2K

8.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Takamatsu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $466 in Takamatsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 9% 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 $35.00 in Takamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $306 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 Takamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Takamatsu differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,249 including rent). Takamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 9% 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 $466 in Takamatsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Takamatsu runs roughly 56% 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 Takamatsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,249 in Takamatsu versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Takamatsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Takamatsu 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 Takamatsu 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 Takamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.