Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tottori Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tottori

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,251 in Tottori.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,895 in Tottori.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,539 in Tottori.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Tottori, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$10.43 ¥1,694

-32.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.39 ¥5,588

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.45 ¥886

-12.66%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.54 ¥575

-9.04%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$0.94 ¥153

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.74 ¥120

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$3.55 ¥577

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$6.47 ¥1,052

-34.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.75 ¥285

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.18 ¥192

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.18 ¥517

45.28%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.16 ¥350

12.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$9.60 ¥1,560

10.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$8.09 ¥1,314

-18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.25 ¥2,477

22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.13 ¥834

-28.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.46 ¥400

-14.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$6.45 ¥1,048

-61.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$3.83 ¥622

18.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$1.61 ¥261

1.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.28 ¥371

-42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.31 ¥212

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.96 ¥156

-9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.06 ¥660

-4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$7.25 ¥1,178

26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.72 ¥279

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.82 ¥458

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.66 ¥270

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$55.4 ¥8,999

-35.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.53 ¥573

30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$3.41 ¥554

-4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$17.67 ¥2,871

32.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.21 ¥196

-2.48%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.2K ¥3.8M

-1.87%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$16.7K ¥2.7M

3.61%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$111 ¥18.0K

21.47%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$25.99 ¥4,223

5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$32.50 ¥5,281

-6.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$55.1 ¥8,951

4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$14.11 ¥2,292

50.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$13.38 ¥2,174

-7.92%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$348 ¥56.6K

-80.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$7,396 ¥1.2M

42.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$51.0 ¥8,283

-12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$32.60 ¥5,297

-9.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$69.8 ¥11.3K

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$102 ¥16.6K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$359 ¥58.3K

102.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$310 ¥50.4K

53.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$577 ¥93.8K

125.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$460 ¥74.7K

79.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,645 ¥754.6K

27.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,335 ¥379.4K

-12.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.74

4.02%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tottori: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $359 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Tottori. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $306, 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 Tottori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tottori differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,251 including rent). Tottori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,994 in Osaka and $1,877 in Tottori to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $727 in Osaka versus $359 in Tottori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tottori runs roughly 55% 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 $348 in Tottori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,251 in Tottori versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tottori but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Tottori 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 Tottori 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 Tottori 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.