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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,315 in Tsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $2,050 in Tsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,784 in Tsu.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Tsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tsu is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$6.36 ¥993

4.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$18.04 ¥2,817

77.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$3.82 ¥596

37.43%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$2.46 ¥384

23.98%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.18 ¥184

19.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.65 ¥101

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$2.10 ¥328

32.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$2.30 ¥358

68.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.60 ¥250

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.34 ¥210

-2.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$5.71 ¥891

-3.85%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$13.10 ¥2,046

-24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$9.91 ¥1,548

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$33.12 ¥5,173

-43.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$5.13 ¥801

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$3.59 ¥561

-43.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$3.18 ¥497

-33.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$4.27 ¥667

-2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$3.94 ¥615

-59.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$3.54 ¥553

-65.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.27 ¥199

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$1.03 ¥161

-22.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.53 ¥552

13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$8.32 ¥1,300

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$2.08 ¥325

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$1.56 ¥244

105.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.47 ¥230

-4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$58.4 ¥9,117

-43.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.15 ¥492

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.14 ¥491

1.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$27.01 ¥4,217

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.04 ¥163

8.65%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$19.4K ¥3.0M

15.36%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$16.8K ¥2.6M

-7.02%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$151 ¥23.6K

-7.40%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$24.90 ¥3,889

-0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$43.69 ¥6,823

-28.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$52.1 ¥8,129

1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

$12.95 ¥2,022

47.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$8.45 ¥1,320

45.56%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$329 ¥51.3K

61.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$6,202 ¥968.5K

113.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$50.9 ¥7,947

-3.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$26.14 ¥4,082

21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$47.63 ¥7,439

59.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$66.5 ¥10.4K

41.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$520 ¥81.1K

40.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$339 ¥53.0K

50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$1,034 ¥161.4K

69.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$746 ¥116.4K

4.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$3,763 ¥587.7K

69.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,792 ¥279.9K

9.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$1,573 ¥245.6K

48.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.9

16.32%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tsu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $520 in Tsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Osaka vs $18.00 in Tsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $397, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,315 including rent). Tsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Osaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $728 in Osaka versus $520 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 78% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Osaka versus $329 in Tsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,315 in Tsu versus $1,393 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 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.