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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,147 in Toyama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,850 in Toyama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,553 in Toyama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 17% more expensive than in Toyama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Toyama 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$3.85 ¥602

59.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$43.75 ¥6,835

-29.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.06 ¥790

-4.94%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$3.44 ¥537

-14.83%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.08 ¥169

32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.80 ¥124

-13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$2.44 ¥381

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$3.18 ¥497

14.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.09 ¥170

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$0.78 ¥122

64.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$3.59 ¥561

46.24%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$1.98 ¥309

6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$11.72 ¥1,831

-16.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$6.14 ¥959

49.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$14.20 ¥2,219

27.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$5.69 ¥889

-40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$2.80 ¥437

-31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$2.89 ¥452

-31.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$4.05 ¥632

-3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$2.61 ¥408

-41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$2.60 ¥406

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.23 ¥193

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.69 ¥107

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.78 ¥591

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$6.22 ¥972

52.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$1.71 ¥267

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$1.97 ¥308

63.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.50 ¥234

-9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$51.7 ¥8,081

-38.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.05 ¥476

23.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.56 ¥401

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$20.19 ¥3,154

4.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.0K ¥3.3M

1.72%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$18.1K ¥2.8M

-16.12%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$132 ¥20.6K

3.47%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$24.27 ¥3,791

-1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$31.86 ¥4,976

-3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$50.7 ¥7,924

-4.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$11.38 ¥1,777

5.80%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$615 ¥96.1K

-15.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-9.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$60.7 ¥9,489

-27.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$32.63 ¥5,097

-8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$60.7 ¥9,484

19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$101 ¥15.8K

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$237 ¥37.1K

194.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$349 ¥54.5K

45.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,083 ¥169.1K

55.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$683 ¥106.6K

11.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,012 ¥626.8K

40.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,868 ¥291.8K

-2.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.12

4.25%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Toyama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $237 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $44.00 in Toyama. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $278, 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,147 including rent). Toyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,019 in Osaka and $1,720 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: $699 in Osaka versus $237 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 62% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $615 in Toyama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,147 in Toyama versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.