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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,188 in Toyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,866 in Toyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,543 in Toyama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 15% more expensive than Toyama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Toyama is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$5.71 ¥913

21.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$41.63 ¥6,659

-16.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.24 ¥678

17.45%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.07 ¥491

8.47%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.67 ¥108

61.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.64 ¥102

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.13 ¥341

28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.04 ¥327

113.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.24 ¥198

29.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$0.80 ¥127

78.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.99 ¥798

-2.61%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.31 ¥370

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$6.41 ¥1,025

62.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$3.51 ¥561

81.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.29 ¥2,446

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.88 ¥940

-39.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.14 ¥502

-30.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.97 ¥636

-37.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$6.01 ¥962

-28.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.26 ¥521

-48.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$4.35 ¥695

-70.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.35 ¥216

2.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.63 ¥100

34.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.24 ¥679

-7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.29 ¥1,486

-0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.75 ¥281

21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.04 ¥327

46.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.39 ¥222

15.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.4 ¥9,013

-35.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.37 ¥540

35.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$3.30 ¥527

0.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$21.77 ¥3,482

10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.20 ¥193

-0.83%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.55%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.3K ¥2.9M

-7.46%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$145 ¥23.1K

-6.80%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.48 ¥4,396

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$33.49 ¥5,356

-9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$42.17 ¥6,746

40.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.60 ¥2,175

49.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.55 ¥2,008

-1.51%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$137 ¥22.0K

-50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-23.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$42.39 ¥6,781

3.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.83 ¥4,771

-1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.1 ¥9,610

11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$110 ¥17.5K

-13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$262 ¥41.9K

173.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$343 ¥54.9K

40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$704 ¥112.6K

86.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$655 ¥104.7K

23.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,182 ¥669.0K

42.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,569 ¥410.9K

-20.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $262 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $42.00 in Toyama. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,188 including rent). Toyama 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 $1,783 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: $717 in Osaka versus $262 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 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 $137 in Toyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,188 in Toyama versus $1,371 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 15% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.