Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tsukuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Tsukuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,148 in Tsukuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,829 in Tsukuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,511 in Tsukuba.

Living in Osaka is roughly 19% more expensive than Tsukuba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tsukuba is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$4.24 ¥678

63.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$36.23 ¥5,795

-4.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.42 ¥867

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$2.83 ¥452

17.67%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.92 ¥147

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.81 ¥130

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$1.99 ¥318

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.05 ¥488

42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.56 ¥250

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.74 ¥279

-17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$2.50 ¥401

94.40%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.20 ¥353

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$8.30 ¥1,328

25.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.07 ¥972

5.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$11.14 ¥1,782

67.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.90 ¥943

-40.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$3.03 ¥485

-27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.93 ¥629

-36.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$2.05 ¥328

110.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.39 ¥542

-50.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.46 ¥553

-63.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.07 ¥172

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.86 ¥138

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.00 ¥641

-1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.42 ¥1,506

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.74 ¥279

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.06 ¥330

45.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$2.49 ¥399

-35.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$54.4 ¥8,697

-33.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.44 ¥551

32.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.89 ¥462

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$21.87 ¥3,499

9.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.18 ¥189

0.85%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$21.4K ¥3.4M

10.17%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$15.4K ¥2.5M

9.84%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$141 ¥22.6K

-4.42%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.94 ¥4,469

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$34.60 ¥5,535

-12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$60.2 ¥9,624

-1.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.79 ¥2,206

47.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.60 ¥2,175

-9.12%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$136 ¥21.8K

-49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$11.9K ¥1.9M

-11.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$41.80 ¥6,685

5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$29.96 ¥4,792

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$42.14 ¥6,741

59.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$96.0 ¥15.3K

-1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$503 ¥80.4K

42.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$317 ¥50.8K

52.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$1,188 ¥190.0K

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$697 ¥111.4K

15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,365 ¥698.2K

36.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,137 ¥341.8K

-3.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,413 ¥226.1K

37.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tsukuba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $503 in Tsukuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 38% 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $36.00 in Tsukuba. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $278, with Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Tsukuba differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,148 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 38% more on average, 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: $717 in Osaka versus $503 in Tsukuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tsukuba 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 $136 in Tsukuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Tsukuba versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tsukuba but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.