Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tottori

For one person, living is cheaper in Tottori: $1,174 a month against $1,378 in Osaka, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Osaka outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Osaka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,378
/mo nomad
Tottori
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Osaka and in Tottori

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Osaka versus $1,174 in Tottori.

  • Osaka $1,378
  • Tottori $1,174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,005 in Osaka versus $1,879 in Tottori.

  • Osaka $2,005
  • Tottori $1,879

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,632 in Osaka versus $2,584 in Tottori.

  • Osaka $2,632
  • Tottori $2,584

Living in Osaka is roughly 17% more expensive than in Tottori, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tottori is 13% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.25 ¥987
$9.48 ¥1,498
-34.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.70 ¥5,008
$32.02 ¥5,059
-1.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥774
$4.97 ¥786
-1.41%
Cappuccino
$2.95 ¥466
$3.25 ¥513
-9.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 ¥228
$0.88 ¥139
63.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥119
$0.74 ¥116
1.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 ¥419
$3.06 ¥484
-13.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 ¥611
$5.70 ¥901
-32.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 ¥227
$1.51 ¥239
-4.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 ¥211
$1.00 ¥159
34.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.25 ¥830
$5.67 ¥895
-7.41%
Eggs
$2.14 ¥338
$2.05 ¥323
4.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.33 ¥1,475
$8.58 ¥1,356
8.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.22 ¥1,456
$7.17 ¥1,132
28.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.39 ¥2,906
$11.67 ¥1,843
57.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.43 ¥541
$4.24 ¥670
-19.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 ¥303
$2.23 ¥352
-13.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 ¥314
$4.60 ¥727
-56.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.05 ¥640
$3.36 ¥531
20.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 ¥247
$1.86 ¥294
-16.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ¥185
$1.66 ¥262
-29.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 ¥205
$1.19 ¥188
9.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 ¥139
$0.90 ¥142
-2.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00 ¥631
$3.77 ¥595
6.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.60 ¥1,517
$7.71 ¥1,217
24.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 ¥308
$1.62 ¥257
20.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 ¥512
$2.54 ¥401
27.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.39 ¥219
$1.08 ¥171
28.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.34 ¥5,109
$54.2 ¥8,556
-40.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ¥583
$3.27 ¥517
12.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.07 ¥486
$3.88 ¥614
-20.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.76 ¥3,437
$12.25 ¥1,936
77.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 ¥173
$1.05 ¥167
3.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ¥3.5M
$20.9K ¥3.3M
6.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.1K ¥2.4M
$14.9K ¥2.3M
1.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 ¥22.0K
$102 ¥16.1K
36.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.50 ¥3,870
$24.06 ¥3,801
1.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.67 ¥4,846
$31.13 ¥4,918
-1.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.03 ¥7,746
$52.0 ¥8,209
-5.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.06 ¥2,853
$12.73 ¥2,010
41.87%
Cinema Ticket
$12.72 ¥2,010
$12.06 ¥1,905
5.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$510 ¥80.5K
$322 ¥50.8K
58.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K ¥2.0M
$6,609 ¥1.0M
94.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.57 ¥7,673
$34.45 ¥5,442
40.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.98 ¥4,894
$23.36 ¥3,690
32.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 ¥11.7K
$49.17 ¥7,768
50.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.5 ¥14.5K
$96.0 ¥15.2K
-4.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$699 ¥110.5K
$272 ¥42.9K
157.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$510 ¥80.6K
$330 ¥52.2K
54.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,710 ¥270.1K
$1,117 ¥176.5K
53.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$772 ¥122.0K
$743 ¥117.4K
3.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,183 ¥976.8K
$4,580 ¥723.6K
34.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,908 ¥301.4K
$1,833 ¥289.6K
4.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Osaka
Tottori
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,424 ¥382.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
1.74
27.01%

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

Last update for Osaka: October 17, 2026

Last update for Tottori: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Osaka
$510
Tottori
$330 35.3% $180
Groceries & Markets
Osaka
$302
Tottori
$275 8.7% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Osaka
$194
Tottori
$157 19.2% $37
Eating Out
Osaka
$130
Tottori
$163 25.5% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Osaka
$110
Tottori
$91 17.2% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Osaka
$74
Tottori
$76 2.2% $1.6
Getting Around
Osaka
$57
Tottori
$81 42.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $272 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Osaka vs $32.00 in Tottori. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $275, with Tottori cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Osaka
🇯🇵 Tottori
🕒 Local time
10:31 10:31 AM
10:31 10:31 AM
Same time as Osaka
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,691,185
193,717
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Osaka Tottori 150 km
From you
  • Osaka
  • Tottori

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Osaka and in Tottori?
Osaka and Tottori differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,174 including rent). Tottori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Osaka compared to Tottori?
You'd need roughly $2,067 in Osaka and $1,761 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Osaka and in Tottori?
Rent for a central apartment: $699 in Osaka versus $272 in Tottori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Osaka and in Tottori?
A monthly transit pass in Tottori runs roughly 67% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Osaka and Tottori?
Childcare runs $510 in Osaka versus $322 in Tottori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,174 in Tottori versus $1,378 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.
How does quality of life compare between Osaka and Tottori?
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.
Is Osaka or Tottori safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Osaka or Tottori?
Expats usually find Tottori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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