Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yamaguchi Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yamaguchi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,421 in Osaka versus $1,181 in Yamaguchi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,048 in Osaka versus $1,829 in Yamaguchi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Osaka versus $2,478 in Yamaguchi.

Living in Osaka is roughly 20% more expensive than in Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 3% above, Yamaguchi is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥983

$3.87 ¥594

65.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,063

$32.66 ¥5,015

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥805

$5.17 ¥794

1.35%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$3.34 ¥513

-11.68%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$1.06 ¥164

33.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥115

$0.67 ¥103

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$3.95 ¥606

-32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥613

$2.21 ¥339

80.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.65 ¥253

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.96 ¥301

-29.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥861

$6.91 ¥1,060

-18.96%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥323

$2.22 ¥342

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,532

$18.30 ¥2,810

-45.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,465

$5.64 ¥866

69.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,873

$19.30 ¥2,963

-3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥533

$3.63 ¥557

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$1.86 ¥286

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥315

$2.99 ¥459

-31.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥617

$3.38 ¥519

18.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥246

$2.21 ¥340

-27.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$2.58 ¥396

-53.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.07 ¥164

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

$0.93 ¥143

-8.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥610

$4.14 ¥635

-4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,457

$6.44 ¥989

47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥293

$1.71 ¥263

11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥504

$1.90 ¥291

72.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.47 ¥226

-5.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,044

$61.9 ¥9,500

-46.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥583

$4.12 ¥633

-7.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$2.09 ¥321

59.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,354

$18.38 ¥2,823

18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$1.13 ¥174

-2.65%

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$22.0K ¥3.4M

2.69%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$18.0K ¥2.8M

-15.30%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$190 ¥29.1K

-25.67%

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

$25.14 ¥3,860

$25.04 ¥3,845

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,792

$33.96 ¥5,215

-8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,347

$48.10 ¥7,385

13.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,902

$11.28 ¥1,732

9.75%

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

$526 ¥80.8K

$130 ¥20.0K

304.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$12.5K ¥1.9M

5.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,532

$38.96 ¥5,983

25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,873

$24.04 ¥3,692

31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$60.9 ¥9,353

22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$49.32 ¥7,573

85.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.1K

$429 ¥65.8K

67.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.5K

$262 ¥40.2K

100.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥268.1K

$802 ¥123.2K

117.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.6K

$574 ¥88.1K

39.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥978.6K

$4,646 ¥713.4K

37.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.9K

$1,992 ¥305.9K

-1.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.85

19.46%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $429 in Yamaguchi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Osaka vs $33.00 in Yamaguchi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $324 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 Yamaguchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Yamaguchi differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,421 vs $1,181 including rent). Yamaguchi 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 $1,771 in Yamaguchi 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 $429 in Yamaguchi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yamaguchi runs roughly 88% 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 $130 in Yamaguchi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,181 in Yamaguchi versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yamaguchi but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.