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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,245 in Ube.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $1,932 in Ube.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,620 in Ube.

Living in Osaka is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ube, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Ube is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,044

$7.11 ¥1,115

-6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,032

$34.40 ¥5,395

-6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥823

$5.47 ¥858

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥478

$3.10 ¥487

-1.61%

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

$1.41 ¥221

$1.13 ¥178

24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$0.81 ¥127

-13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥438

$2.11 ¥331

32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥608

$3.20 ¥501

21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥232

$1.59 ¥250

-6.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥206

$1.58 ¥248

-17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥862

$4.64 ¥728

18.32%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥325

$2.27 ¥355

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,543

$10.17 ¥1,596

-3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,518

$6.22 ¥975

55.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,915

$15.72 ¥2,465

18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥538

$5.43 ¥851

-36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥320

$2.64 ¥415

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥333

$4.14 ¥649

-48.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥655

$4.49 ¥704

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥251

$3.18 ¥499

-49.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥190

$2.69 ¥423

-55.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.37 ¥215

-0.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.82 ¥129

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥628

$4.09 ¥642

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,488

$6.63 ¥1,041

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥314

$1.98 ¥311

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥502

$2.32 ¥364

37.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥221

$1.64 ¥257

-14.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,151

$55.1 ¥8,636

-40.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥617

$3.43 ¥539

14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥502

$2.97 ¥465

7.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,477

$20.86 ¥3,272

6.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥177

$1.18 ¥185

-4.24%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$22.9K ¥3.6M

-2.19%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

-8.74%

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

$140 ¥21.9K

$142 ¥22.2K

-1.26%

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

$24.68 ¥3,872

$26.74 ¥4,194

-7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,868

$34.18 ¥5,362

-9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,326

$58.9 ¥9,236

-9.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,986

$13.82 ¥2,167

37.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,929

$13.00 ¥2,040

-5.38%

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

$529 ¥83.0K

$276 ¥43.4K

91.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$13.4K ¥2.1M

-0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,676

$43.78 ¥6,868

11.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,996

$29.07 ¥4,560

9.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$61.2 ¥9,601

24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.8K

$92.6 ¥14.5K

1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥114.2K

$471 ¥73.9K

54.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥80.3K

$328 ¥51.4K

56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥274.9K

$859 ¥134.8K

103.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥122.1K

$647 ¥101.5K

20.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥1.0M

$2,798 ¥438.8K

127.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥307.2K

$1,801 ¥282.5K

8.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥367.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.81

22.10%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ube: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $471 in Ube. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Ube for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $308 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,245 including rent). Ube is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,089 in Osaka and $1,867 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: $728 in Osaka versus $471 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 68% 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 $276 in Ube. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,245 in Ube versus $1,393 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 12% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.