Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Wakayama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Wakayama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,273 in Wakayama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,992 in Wakayama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,710 in Wakayama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 6% more expensive than in Wakayama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Wakayama 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥957

$6.32 ¥988

-3.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,804

$30.80 ¥4,812

-0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥751

$5.06 ¥791

-4.94%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥458

$2.33 ¥364

25.75%

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

$1.43 ¥224

$1.23 ¥193

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.86 ¥134

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥411

$3.15 ¥493

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥569

$1.85 ¥290

96.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.54 ¥240

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.54 ¥241

-16.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥820

$4.06 ¥635

29.31%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.19 ¥343

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,531

$15.85 ¥2,476

-38.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,435

$6.83 ¥1,067

34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,827

$16.91 ¥2,642

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥528

$8.13 ¥1,271

-58.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥299

$2.96 ¥462

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥309

$4.93 ¥770

-59.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥608

$7.59 ¥1,185

-48.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥240

$3.88 ¥606

-60.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥183

$4.53 ¥708

-74.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.16 ¥181

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.88 ¥138

-7.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥600

$3.96 ¥618

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,484

$9.66 ¥1,509

-1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥292

$2.52 ¥394

-25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥504

$2.16 ¥337

49.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥213

$1.59 ¥248

-14.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,998

$56.5 ¥8,826

-43.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥589

$3.22 ¥503

17.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥475

$2.80 ¥438

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,282

$15.38 ¥2,403

36.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.07 ¥167

1.87%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

-0.41%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

1.95%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$114 ¥17.9K

19.14%

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

$23.92 ¥3,736

$22.81 ¥3,564

4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,785

$30.65 ¥4,789

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,592

$44.44 ¥6,943

9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,881

$11.45 ¥1,789

5.15%

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

$520 ¥81.2K

$567 ¥88.6K

-8.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

-9.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,898

$49.96 ¥7,805

-11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,641

$36.01 ¥5,626

-17.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$59.6 ¥9,303

21.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.9K

$95.6 ¥14.9K

-7.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥109.2K

$436 ¥68.2K

60.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥79.2K

$303 ¥47.4K

67.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥262.7K

$1,091 ¥170.4K

54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.9K

$656 ¥102.5K

16.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥880.4K

$4,150 ¥648.4K

35.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥284.6K

$1,703 ¥266.1K

6.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥350.7K

$3,956 ¥618.0K

-43.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.66

33.13%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Wakayama: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $436 in Wakayama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wakayama pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Osaka vs $31.00 in Wakayama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $376 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 Wakayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Wakayama differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,273 including rent). Wakayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Wakayama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $699 in Osaka versus $436 in Wakayama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wakayama runs roughly 77% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $567 in Wakayama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,273 in Wakayama versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Wakayama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Wakayama 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 Wakayama 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 Wakayama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.