Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,684 in Tokyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $2,693 in Tokyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $3,703 in Tokyo.

Living in Osaka costs roughly 19% less than in Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 2% above, Tokyo 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$8.09 ¥1,294

-14.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$48.31 ¥7,727

-28.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.69 ¥910

-12.48%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.57 ¥571

-6.72%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.26 ¥202

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.93 ¥148

-18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$4.25 ¥681

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$5.30 ¥848

-17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.58 ¥252

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.59 ¥254

-10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$5.32 ¥851

-8.65%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.41 ¥385

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$16.04 ¥2,565

-34.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$7.85 ¥1,255

-18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$23.16 ¥3,704

-19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.23 ¥836

-32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.57 ¥412

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$5.73 ¥917

-56.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$5.97 ¥955

-27.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.21 ¥514

-47.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.51 ¥562

-63.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.48 ¥236

-6.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.90 ¥143

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.27 ¥684

-7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.39 ¥1,501

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.15 ¥343

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.88 ¥461

3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.48 ¥237

8.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-57.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.49 ¥559

30.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.87 ¥458

15.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$26.77 ¥4,281

-10.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.22 ¥195

-2.46%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

0.41%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-3.00%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$164 ¥26.2K

-17.58%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.63 ¥4,259

3.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$33.94 ¥5,428

-10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-14.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$20.11 ¥3,217

1.39%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.06 ¥2,088

-5.36%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$506 ¥81.0K

-86.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-32.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$60.1 ¥9,611

-26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$40.31 ¥6,448

-26.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$64.7 ¥10.3K

3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-34.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$596 ¥95.4K

-19.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-39.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-44.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-58.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$2,501 ¥400.1K

-22.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.72

5.23%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $1,094 in Tokyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 29% 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 $48.00 in Tokyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $382 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tokyo differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,684 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tokyo earns 29% less. 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: $717 in Osaka versus $1,094 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 134% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $506 in Tokyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,684 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 23% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.