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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $1,148 in Yamanashi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,831 in Yamanashi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $2,514 in Yamanashi.

Living in Osaka is roughly 17% more expensive than in Yamanashi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Yamanashi 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$8.68 ¥1,351

-29.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$31.25 ¥4,864

-1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$5.07 ¥790

-5.13%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$2.42 ¥376

21.07%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$1.23 ¥192

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.82 ¥128

-15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$3.05 ¥474

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.05 ¥474

19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$0.98 ¥153

45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$0.83 ¥129

54.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$1.22 ¥190

330.33%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$1.62 ¥251

29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$12.31 ¥1,916

-20.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$5.24 ¥815

75.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$16.73 ¥2,604

8.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$4.91 ¥764

-31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.91 ¥452

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$1.91 ¥298

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$3.55 ¥552

9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$1.66 ¥258

-7.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$2.45 ¥381

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.04 ¥163

24.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.66 ¥102

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.79 ¥590

1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$9.64 ¥1,500

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$2.61 ¥407

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$2.15 ¥335

49.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.32 ¥205

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

$50.2 ¥7,820

-36.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.22 ¥501

17.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.84 ¥442

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$15.84 ¥2,465

32.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.11 ¥172

-1.80%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.3K ¥3.3M

0.34%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

1.81%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$115 ¥17.9K

18.71%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$23.31 ¥3,627

2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$30.80 ¥4,794

-0.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$47.10 ¥7,330

3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$11.30 ¥1,759

6.55%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$573 ¥89.2K

-9.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.3K ¥2.2M

-7.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$50.2 ¥7,817

-12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$35.70 ¥5,556

-16.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$61.0 ¥9,494

19.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$96.2 ¥15.0K

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$432 ¥67.3K

61.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$291 ¥45.3K

74.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

$1,117 ¥173.9K

50.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

$771 ¥120.0K

-1.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

$3,818 ¥594.3K

47.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

$1,969 ¥306.5K

-7.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

$4,435 ¥690.2K

-49.37%

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 Yamanashi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $432 in Yamanashi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yamanashi pays 98% 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 Yamanashi. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $269, 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $1,148 including rent). Yamanashi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% 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: $699 in Osaka versus $432 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 $520 in Osaka versus $573 in Yamanashi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Yamanashi versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.