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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,245 in Tottori.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,857 in Tottori.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,468 in Tottori.

Living in Osaka is roughly 10% more expensive than Tottori, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tottori is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$10.52 ¥1,683

-33.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.98 ¥5,596

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.40 ¥864

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.49 ¥558

-4.58%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.93 ¥149

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.80 ¥129

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$3.37 ¥539

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$6.45 ¥1,032

-32.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.76 ¥281

-8.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.17 ¥188

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$3.23 ¥516

50.46%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.22 ¥354

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$9.72 ¥1,554

7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$7.91 ¥1,264

-19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.28 ¥2,444

21.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.13 ¥820

-31.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.52 ¥404

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$6.48 ¥1,037

-61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$3.85 ¥616

11.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$1.64 ¥262

3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$2.38 ¥380

-46.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.24 ¥198

12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.96 ¥153

-11.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.25 ¥679

-7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$7.69 ¥1,230

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.71 ¥273

24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.71 ¥433

10.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.65 ¥264

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.2 ¥8,985

-35.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.40 ¥543

34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.37 ¥539

-1.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$17.89 ¥2,862

33.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.21 ¥193

-1.65%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

1.46%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

0.44%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$113 ¥18.0K

19.51%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$25.96 ¥4,152

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$32.47 ¥5,194

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.3 ¥8,999

5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.86 ¥2,217

47.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.03 ¥2,084

-5.14%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$352 ¥56.4K

-80.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$7,384 ¥1.2M

42.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$49.49 ¥7,916

-10.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$33.47 ¥5,353

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$103 ¥16.5K

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$351 ¥56.2K

104.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$308 ¥49.3K

56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$585 ¥93.5K

124.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$457 ¥73.2K

76.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,596 ¥735.2K

29.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,387 ¥381.8K

-13.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tottori: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $351 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Tottori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $307 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 Tottori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tottori differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,245 including rent). Tottori is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,057 in Osaka and $1,867 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: $717 in Osaka versus $351 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 $68.1 in Osaka versus $352 in Tottori. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,245 in Tottori versus $1,371 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 10% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.