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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,147 in Tsukuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $1,838 in Tsukuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,529 in Tsukuba.

Living in Osaka is roughly 21% more expensive than in Tsukuba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Tsukuba is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,038

$6.49 ¥1,013

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,006

$33.44 ¥5,218

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥818

$5.04 ¥787

4.17%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$2.81 ¥439

8.54%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$0.98 ¥153

43.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.81 ¥126

-13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥435

$2.13 ¥333

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$3.28 ¥512

18.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.47 ¥230

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.71 ¥267

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥857

$3.18 ¥497

72.64%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$2.04 ¥318

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,535

$12.03 ¥1,877

-18.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,510

$6.23 ¥972

55.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,900

$14.97 ¥2,336

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥535

$5.70 ¥889

-39.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$2.85 ¥445

-28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$2.89 ¥451

-26.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥651

$4.32 ¥674

-3.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.67 ¥417

-40.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$2.75 ¥429

-56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$0.80 ¥125

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.77 ¥119

3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

$3.97 ¥620

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,481

$6.57 ¥1,026

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.81 ¥282

10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.09 ¥325

53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.55 ¥242

-9.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,124

$49.63 ¥7,744

-33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$3.17 ¥494

23.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥499

$2.58 ¥402

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,459

$20.96 ¥3,270

5.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.09 ¥170

3.67%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.09%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$18.8K ¥2.9M

-17.20%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$137 ¥21.4K

1.72%

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

$24.68 ¥3,851

$24.86 ¥3,879

-0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,842

$33.10 ¥5,165

-6.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,282

$56.9 ¥8,872

-6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,970

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,918

$12.98 ¥2,025

-5.24%

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

$529 ¥82.5K

$97.6 ¥15.2K

441.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-12.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,635

$49.49 ¥7,722

-1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,969

$33.07 ¥5,160

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$39.12 ¥6,104

94.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$42.51 ¥6,632

121.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.6K

$474 ¥74.0K

53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.8K

$292 ¥45.6K

75.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.5K

$1,138 ¥177.6K

53.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.4K

$648 ¥101.1K

20.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥994.8K

$3,469 ¥541.3K

83.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.6K

$1,579 ¥246.4K

24.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.4K

$1,495 ¥233.3K

56.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

10.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tsukuba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $474 in Tsukuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 57% 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 $33.00 in Tsukuba. Groceries flip the comparison at $308 vs $296, 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,147 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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 $474 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 51% 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 $97.6 in Tsukuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,147 in Tsukuba versus $1,393 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 21% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.