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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,287 in Yamaguchi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,972 in Yamaguchi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,657 in Yamaguchi.

Living in Osaka is roughly 3% more expensive than in Yamaguchi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Yamaguchi is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$4.27 ¥694

65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.37 ¥5,584

1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$5.56 ¥904

-14.39%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.18 ¥517

1.26%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.04 ¥169

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.76 ¥123

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.65 ¥430

7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$4.94 ¥803

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.68 ¥272

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.67 ¥271

-14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.18 ¥680

10.53%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.57 ¥418

-5.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$10.18 ¥1,654

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$6.00 ¥975

9.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$21.05 ¥3,420

-11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$3.17 ¥515

16.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$1.40 ¥228

50.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$1.41 ¥229

75.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$5.80 ¥942

-21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$2.80 ¥455

-41.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$3.25 ¥528

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$0.98 ¥160

39.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.75 ¥123

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$3.92 ¥637

-1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$6.34 ¥1,030

44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.99 ¥323

5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.14 ¥348

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.67 ¥272

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$55.3 ¥8,985

-35.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$4.67 ¥759

-1.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.91 ¥473

12.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$19.33 ¥3,141

21.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.20 ¥195

-1.67%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.4K ¥3.8M

-2.51%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$20.3K ¥3.3M

-14.95%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$216 ¥35.1K

-37.80%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.09 ¥4,401

1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$35.57 ¥5,780

-14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$54.8 ¥8,898

5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$14.05 ¥2,283

50.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$13.68 ¥2,222

-9.94%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$422 ¥68.5K

-83.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-22.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$43.18 ¥7,016

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$29.49 ¥4,792

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$65.9 ¥10.7K

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$59.7 ¥9,701

62.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$477 ¥77.5K

52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$334 ¥54.3K

42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$882 ¥143.3K

47.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$652 ¥106.0K

26.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$4,333 ¥704.0K

36.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$1,945 ¥316.0K

5.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yamaguchi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $477 in Yamaguchi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Yamaguchi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $298 per month, with Yamaguchi 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,287 including rent). Yamaguchi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,994 in Osaka and $1,930 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: $727 in Osaka versus $477 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 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka versus $422 in Yamaguchi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Yamaguchi versus $1,330 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 3% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.