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: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,344 in Wakayama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $2,118 in Wakayama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,893 in Wakayama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 2% more expensive than Wakayama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 2% above, Wakayama 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.98 ¥1,116

-0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$35.10 ¥5,614

-1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$6.27 ¥1,003

-20.57%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.07 ¥491

8.47%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.19 ¥191

-9.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$3.38 ¥541

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.06 ¥329

111.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.69 ¥270

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.80 ¥288

-20.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$5.10 ¥817

-4.71%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.55 ¥408

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$17.23 ¥2,756

-39.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$7.43 ¥1,189

-14.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.25 ¥2,439

22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$8.90 ¥1,424

-60.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.80 ¥448

-21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$4.88 ¥781

-49.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$9.57 ¥1,531

-54.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.99 ¥638

-57.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$2.61 ¥417

-50.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.34 ¥214

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$1.40 ¥224

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$3.46 ¥553

13.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$9.17 ¥1,467

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.86 ¥458

-25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.27 ¥363

31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.66 ¥266

-3.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$55.0 ¥8,800

-33.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.43 ¥548

32.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.95 ¥472

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$17.57 ¥2,810

36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.24 ¥198

-4.03%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.79%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

-0.18%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$138 ¥22.1K

-2.64%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$26.81 ¥4,289

2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$34.21 ¥5,472

-11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$55.9 ¥8,938

5.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$13.65 ¥2,183

49.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.47 ¥1,994

-0.88%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$474 ¥75.8K

-85.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

-7.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$46.82 ¥7,488

-5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$32.66 ¥5,224

-9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$55.8 ¥8,929

20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$91.1 ¥14.6K

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$462 ¥73.9K

55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$325 ¥52.0K

48.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$859 ¥137.4K

52.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$652 ¥104.3K

23.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,458 ¥713.1K

33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,039 ¥326.2K

0.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$3,832 ¥612.9K

-49.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.67

8.38%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Wakayama: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $462 in Wakayama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wakayama pays 97% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $35.00 in Wakayama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $405 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,344 including rent). Wakayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Wakayama earns 97% less. 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: $717 in Osaka versus $462 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 51% 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 $474 in Wakayama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Wakayama versus $1,371 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 2% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.