Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Toyama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Toyama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,339 in Osaka versus $1,234 in Toyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,015 in Osaka versus $1,900 in Toyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,691 in Osaka versus $2,567 in Toyama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 9% more expensive than in Toyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Toyama is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 ¥1,140

$5.67 ¥926

23.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 ¥5,669

$41.20 ¥6,724

-15.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥789

$4.08 ¥666

18.38%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥524

$3.18 ¥518

0.94%

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

$1.13 ¥185

$0.72 ¥117

56.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥116

$0.60 ¥97.8

18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ¥461

$2.03 ¥331

38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 ¥703

$2.11 ¥344

103.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥252

$1.22 ¥199

26.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥234

$0.84 ¥138

70.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥779

$4.92 ¥803

-2.85%

Eggs

$2.36 ¥385

$2.18 ¥357

8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ¥1,729

$6.18 ¥1,009

71.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 ¥1,030

$3.48 ¥569

81.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 ¥3,116

$15.38 ¥2,510

24.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥594

$5.94 ¥970

-38.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ¥359

$3.20 ¥522

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ¥426

$3.98 ¥649

-34.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 ¥743

$6.01 ¥980

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ¥272

$3.27 ¥534

-48.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥203

$4.30 ¥701

-71.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥216

$1.38 ¥225

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥137

$0.63 ¥102

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ¥638

$4.18 ¥682

-6.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ¥1,505

$9.30 ¥1,518

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥344

$1.74 ¥285

21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ¥491

$2.03 ¥331

48.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥271

$1.38 ¥226

20.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.86 ¥5,852

$54.5 ¥8,892

-34.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥715

$3.37 ¥550

29.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 ¥549

$3.27 ¥534

2.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 ¥3,885

$21.94 ¥3,580

8.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥194

$1.21 ¥198

-1.65%

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

$22.9K ¥3.7M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-2.18%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-4.99%

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

$130 ¥21.2K

$142 ¥23.1K

-8.28%

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

$26.69 ¥4,356

$27.43 ¥4,477

-2.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.45 ¥4,969

$34.03 ¥5,553

-10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,636

$41.93 ¥6,843

40.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 ¥3,332

$14.00 ¥2,284

45.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 ¥2,042

$12.30 ¥2,007

1.79%

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

$69.5 ¥11.3K

$139 ¥22.7K

-49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ¥1.7M

$13.9K ¥2.3M

-26.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.94 ¥7,334

$41.09 ¥6,706

9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 ¥4,672

$29.09 ¥4,747

-1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 ¥11.2K

$59.0 ¥9,633

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 ¥15.4K

$109 ¥17.8K

-13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 ¥117.5K

$259 ¥42.3K

177.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥76.1K

$347 ¥56.6K

34.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ¥215.0K

$698 ¥113.8K

88.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥134.6K

$665 ¥108.5K

24.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,894 ¥961.9K

$4,665 ¥761.3K

26.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,039 ¥332.7K

$2,002 ¥326.7K

1.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,859 ¥303.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

2.05

-11.71%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 21, 2026

Last update for Toyama: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Osaka and $259 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $41.00 in Toyama. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $289, with Toyama 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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Toyama differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,339 vs $1,234 including rent). Toyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,009 in Osaka and $1,850 in Toyama 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: $720 in Osaka versus $259 in Toyama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Toyama runs roughly 52% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $69.5 in Osaka versus $139 in Toyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,234 in Toyama versus $1,339 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Toyama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Toyama 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 Toyama 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 Toyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.