Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,211 in Tsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,868 in Tsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,526 in Tsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than Tsu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tsu is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$7.07 ¥1,131

-1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$19.08 ¥3,052

81.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.15 ¥663

20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.31 ¥530

0.60%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.08 ¥172

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.72 ¥115

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.83 ¥452

-3.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$4.41 ¥706

-1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.57 ¥252

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.49 ¥239

-4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.71 ¥753

3.18%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.42 ¥388

1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.44 ¥1,670

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.22 ¥995

2.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$19.12 ¥3,059

-2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$3.60 ¥577

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.12 ¥339

3.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$2.60 ¥417

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.54 ¥726

-5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$1.65 ¥263

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.30 ¥208

-1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.38 ¥220

0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.83 ¥133

2.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.97 ¥634

-1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.57 ¥1,531

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.13 ¥341

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$3.02 ¥483

-0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.59 ¥254

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.5 ¥8,711

-33.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$4.46 ¥714

2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$23.36 ¥3,736

2.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.19 ¥190

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.12%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.25%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$134 ¥21.5K

0.36%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.99 ¥4,318

2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$29.90 ¥4,782

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.3 ¥8,838

7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.98 ¥2,236

45.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.67 ¥2,027

-2.45%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$70.3 ¥11.2K

-3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$44.83 ¥7,171

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.22 ¥4,674

0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$68.5 ¥11.0K

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$94.2 ¥15.1K

0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$474 ¥75.7K

51.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$336 ¥53.7K

43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$866 ¥138.5K

51.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$669 ¥107.0K

20.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,402 ¥704.1K

35.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,430 ¥388.6K

-15.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tsu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $474 in Tsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $19.00 in Tsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $302, with Osaka 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 Tsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tsu differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,211 including rent). Tsu 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 $1,816 in Tsu 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 $474 in Tsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tsu runs roughly 50% 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 $70.3 in Tsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,211 in Tsu versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Tsu 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 Tsu 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 Tsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.