Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tokyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Osaka: $1,362 a month against $1,663 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 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
80

Cost of Living Index in Tokyo
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Tokyo Living Index

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Osaka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,362

/mo nomad

Tokyo

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Osaka and in Tokyo

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 Tokyo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Osaka versus $1,663 in Tokyo.

Osaka $1,362
Tokyo $1,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,986 in Osaka versus $2,592 in Tokyo.

Osaka $1,986
Tokyo $2,592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,609 in Osaka versus $3,521 in Tokyo.

Osaka $2,609
Tokyo $3,521

Living in Osaka costs roughly 18% less than in Tokyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 1% above, Tokyo 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ¥1,021

$7.47 ¥1,180

-13.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.30 ¥4,945

$37.48 ¥5,921

-16.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥774

Cappuccino

$2.96 ¥468

$3.62 ¥571

-18.23%

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

$1.37 ¥216

$1.66 ¥262

-17.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥116

$0.84 ¥133

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥432

$3.69 ¥582

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥614

$5.24 ¥829

-25.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥230

$1.49 ¥236

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥203

$1.75 ¥276

-26.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 ¥835

$5.63 ¥889

-6.04%

Eggs

$2.04 ¥323

$2.20 ¥348

-7.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ¥1,522

$11.19 ¥1,767

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 ¥1,489

$6.84 ¥1,081

37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.22 ¥2,878

$16.61 ¥2,624

9.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ¥523

$4.80 ¥759

-31.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ¥305

$2.24 ¥354

-13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ¥321

$4.22 ¥666

-51.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 ¥654

$5.20 ¥821

-20.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ¥240

$3.29 ¥520

-53.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ¥187

$3.05 ¥481

-61.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥216

$1.19 ¥188

15.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.81 ¥129

-1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥611

$3.92 ¥619

-1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 ¥1,507

$9.65 ¥1,524

-1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥307

$1.63 ¥258

19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ¥485

$2.70 ¥426

13.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ¥212

$1.25 ¥197

7.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 ¥5,055

$63.9 ¥10.1K

-49.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ¥611

$3.13 ¥494

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 ¥507

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.07 ¥3,328

$18.55 ¥2,931

13.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥167

$1.05 ¥166

0.95%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

-0.04%

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

$14.9K ¥2.4M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-1.77%

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

$138 ¥21.7K

$149 ¥23.5K

-7.33%

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

$24.11 ¥3,809

$21.59 ¥3,412

11.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.75 ¥4,857

$30.62 ¥4,837

0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ¥7,997

$66.7 ¥10.5K

-24.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 ¥2,921

$25.58 ¥4,042

-27.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 ¥1,855

$12.68 ¥2,004

-7.41%

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

$513 ¥81.0K

$1,350 ¥213.3K

-62.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$17.9K ¥2.8M

-26.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.11 ¥7,442

$56.0 ¥8,853

-15.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.51 ¥4,820

$33.14 ¥5,236

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ¥11.3K

$64.3 ¥10.2K

11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ¥14.3K

$70.2 ¥11.1K

28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 ¥110.3K

$1,253 ¥197.9K

-44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ¥78.6K

$700 ¥110.6K

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 ¥266.5K

$2,502 ¥395.3K

-32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 ¥119.3K

$1,430 ¥225.9K

-47.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,157 ¥972.7K

$9,428 ¥1.5M

-34.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 ¥310.3K

$4,236 ¥669.3K

-53.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 ¥377.0K

$2,998 ¥473.7K

-20.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.25

-1.78%

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

Last update for Osaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Osaka

$498 36.5%

Tokyo

$700 42.1% 40.6% $202

Groceries & Markets

Osaka

$301 22.1%

Tokyo

$325 19.5% 7.9% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Osaka

$192 14.1%

Tokyo

$201 12.1% 4.3% $8.2

Eating Out

Osaka

$132 9.7%

Tokyo

$157 9.4% 19% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Osaka

$108 7.9%

Tokyo

$101 6.1% 6.7% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Osaka

$74 5.4%

Tokyo

$92 5.5% 24.2% $18

Getting Around

Osaka

$57 4.2%

Tokyo

$88 5.3% 53.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $698 in Osaka and $1,253 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 26% 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 $37.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $325 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Osaka

🇯🇵 Tokyo

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

Same time as Osaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,691,185

13,613,660 Capital

💱 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tokyo differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,663 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Tokyo. 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: $698 in Osaka versus $1,253 in Tokyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 100% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $513 in Osaka versus $1,350 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,362 in Osaka versus $1,663 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka 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 Tokyo 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 Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.