Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Utsunomiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Utsunomiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,421 in Osaka versus $1,259 in Utsunomiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Osaka versus $1,947 in Utsunomiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Osaka versus $2,635 in Utsunomiya.

Living in Osaka is roughly 13% more expensive than in Utsunomiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 3% above, Utsunomiya is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥983

$6.13 ¥941

4.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,063

$17.11 ¥2,627

92.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥805

$4.55 ¥699

15.16%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$3.55 ¥546

-16.90%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$1.09 ¥167

30.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥115

$0.81 ¥125

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$3.18 ¥488

-16.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥613

$1.93 ¥297

106.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.39 ¥214

5.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.76 ¥270

-21.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥861

$5.81 ¥893

-3.61%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥323

$2.23 ¥342

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,532

$11.02 ¥1,693

-9.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,465

$7.66 ¥1,176

24.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,873

$19.93 ¥3,061

-6.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥533

$5.36 ¥823

-35.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$2.56 ¥393

-22.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥315

$4.68 ¥718

-56.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥617

$6.05 ¥930

-33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥246

$3.50 ¥538

-54.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$3.37 ¥517

-64.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.26 ¥193

10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

$0.80 ¥123

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥610

$3.95 ¥607

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,457

$9.27 ¥1,423

2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥293

$1.83 ¥280

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥504

$3.06 ¥470

7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.45 ¥222

-4.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,044

$55.3 ¥8,491

-40.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥583

$3.20 ¥492

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$3.20 ¥491

4.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,354

$18.70 ¥2,871

16.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$1.10 ¥169

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

6.16%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

1.84%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$162 ¥24.8K

-12.81%

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

$25.14 ¥3,860

$22.70 ¥3,486

10.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,792

$29.92 ¥4,594

4.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,347

$49.90 ¥7,662

8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

$12.30 ¥1,888

51.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,902

$12.65 ¥1,943

-2.13%

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

$526 ¥80.8K

$1,301 ¥199.7K

-59.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$17.6K ¥2.7M

-25.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,532

$52.2 ¥8,008

-5.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,873

$31.88 ¥4,896

-0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$61.9 ¥9,506

20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$73.0 ¥11.2K

25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.1K

$463 ¥71.0K

54.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.5K

$324 ¥49.8K

61.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥268.1K

$1,085 ¥166.6K

60.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.6K

$723 ¥111.0K

10.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥978.6K

$4,204 ¥645.6K

51.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.9K

$1,907 ¥292.8K

2.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.93

14.51%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Utsunomiya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $463 in Utsunomiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Osaka vs $17.00 in Utsunomiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $352, 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 Utsunomiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Utsunomiya differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,421 vs $1,259 including rent). Utsunomiya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,131 in Osaka and $1,888 in Utsunomiya 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 $463 in Utsunomiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Utsunomiya 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 $526 in Osaka versus $1,301 in Utsunomiya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,259 in Utsunomiya versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Utsunomiya but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Utsunomiya 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 Utsunomiya 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 Utsunomiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.