Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yamanashi Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Yamanashi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,212 in Yamanashi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,893 in Yamanashi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,575 in Yamanashi.

Living in Osaka is roughly 10% more expensive than in Yamanashi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Yamanashi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$8.28 ¥1,346

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,674

$34.65 ¥5,629

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$6.36 ¥1,033

-25.16%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.06 ¥496

5.23%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$1.17 ¥189

-5.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.70 ¥114

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$3.36 ¥545

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.09 ¥502

36.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.06 ¥172

45.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$0.91 ¥148

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$1.35 ¥220

242.22%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$1.70 ¥277

43.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,716

$13.95 ¥2,266

-24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$5.79 ¥941

13.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.67 ¥2,547

19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.57 ¥904

-33.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.82 ¥457

-25.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$2.10 ¥341

17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$4.10 ¥667

10.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$1.85 ¥300

-11.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$2.60 ¥422

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.20 ¥195

14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.79 ¥128

10.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$3.52 ¥572

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$9.48 ¥1,540

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$2.87 ¥467

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.32 ¥377

23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.66 ¥269

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,807

$56.0 ¥9,094

-36.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.51 ¥571

31.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.85 ¥464

14.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,814

$17.03 ¥2,767

37.82%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-1.15%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

2.15%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$141 ¥22.8K

-4.45%

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

$27.44 ¥4,458

$27.12 ¥4,406

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,941

$33.56 ¥5,452

-9.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,396

$55.4 ¥9,003

4.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,441

$13.64 ¥2,217

55.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$12.55 ¥2,039

-1.83%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$475 ¥77.1K

-85.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

-6.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,229

$46.64 ¥7,578

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,796

$32.08 ¥5,213

-7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$56.2 ¥9,129

18.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$91.0 ¥14.8K

6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$471 ¥76.5K

54.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.3K

$329 ¥53.4K

44.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.3K

$852 ¥138.5K

52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.3K

$660 ¥107.2K

25.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.3K

$3,735 ¥606.8K

58.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.2K

$2,143 ¥348.1K

-4.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.0K

$4,537 ¥737.2K

-58.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.78

1.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yamanashi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $471 in Yamanashi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yamanashi pays 143% 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 Yamanashi. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $286, with Yamanashi 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 Yamanashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Yamanashi differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,212 including rent). Yamanashi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 143% lower in Yamanashi. 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: $727 in Osaka versus $471 in Yamanashi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yamanashi runs roughly 57% 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 $475 in Yamanashi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,212 in Yamanashi versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yamanashi but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Yamanashi 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 Yamanashi 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 Yamanashi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.