Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ube Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Ube

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,262 in Ube.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,933 in Ube.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,604 in Ube.

Living in Osaka is roughly 9% more expensive than Ube, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Ube is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$7.01 ¥1,121

-0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.18 ¥5,468

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.38 ¥861

-7.43%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.11 ¥497

7.07%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.14 ¥183

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.81 ¥130

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.14 ¥342

28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.08 ¥492

41.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.52 ¥243

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.61 ¥257

-11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$4.86 ¥777

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.21 ¥353

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.27 ¥1,643

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.41 ¥1,026

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.66 ¥2,504

18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.40 ¥864

-34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.68 ¥428

-18.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$4.04 ¥646

-38.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.44 ¥711

-2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.19 ¥510

-47.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$2.64 ¥423

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.84 ¥134

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.04 ¥646

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$6.45 ¥1,032

43.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.98 ¥317

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.37 ¥378

26.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.65 ¥265

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.4 ¥9,020

-35.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.45 ¥551

32.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.98 ¥476

11.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$21.14 ¥3,381

13.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.19 ¥190

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

0.74%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

0.39%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$138 ¥22.1K

-2.35%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$27.00 ¥4,318

2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$34.14 ¥5,460

-11.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$56.8 ¥9,077

4.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.70 ¥2,191

48.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$13.31 ¥2,130

-7.14%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$282 ¥45.1K

-75.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-22.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$43.38 ¥6,938

1.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$30.04 ¥4,805

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$59.1 ¥9,460

13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$465 ¥74.4K

54.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$335 ¥53.5K

44.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$865 ¥138.3K

51.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$660 ¥105.5K

22.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$2,863 ¥457.9K

107.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$1,828 ¥292.4K

12.41%

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 Ube: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $465 in Ube. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Ube. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $309, 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 Ube: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Ube differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,262 including rent). Ube 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 $1,893 in Ube 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 $465 in Ube. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ube runs roughly 55% 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 $282 in Ube. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,262 in Ube versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ube but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ube 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 Ube 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 Ube gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.