Cost of Living Comparison Between Otsu and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Otsu and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,216 in Otsu versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Otsu versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,655 in Otsu versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Otsu costs roughly 11% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Otsu is 9% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,293

$6.95 ¥1,112

16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 ¥5,450

$34.58 ¥5,531

-1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 ¥903

$4.98 ¥797

13.25%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ¥495

$3.33 ¥532

-7.21%

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

$0.92 ¥147

$1.08 ¥173

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.76 ¥122

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 ¥563

$2.74 ¥438

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ¥510

$4.35 ¥695

-26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥270

$1.61 ¥257

4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥274

$1.43 ¥229

20.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ¥495

$4.86 ¥778

-36.42%

Eggs

$2.35 ¥376

$2.46 ¥393

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 ¥1,537

$10.43 ¥1,669

-7.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 ¥1,239

$6.38 ¥1,021

21.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 ¥2,428

$18.61 ¥2,977

-18.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 ¥865

$3.53 ¥564

52.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 ¥416

$2.19 ¥350

18.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 ¥793

$2.48 ¥397

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ¥632

$4.31 ¥689

-8.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.69 ¥271

-1.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 ¥378

$1.28 ¥205

84.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.39 ¥222

-11.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥161

$0.85 ¥136

18.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥646

$3.93 ¥629

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 ¥1,169

$9.27 ¥1,482

-21.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥288

$2.13 ¥340

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥382

$2.99 ¥479

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,818

$36.32 ¥5,810

51.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥557

$4.56 ¥729

-23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥462

$3.31 ¥530

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 ¥2,819

$23.95 ¥3,830

-26.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.19 ¥191

2.52%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.27%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.87%

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

$113 ¥18.1K

$135 ¥21.6K

-16.21%

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

$26.63 ¥4,260

$27.60 ¥4,415

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.27 ¥5,322

$30.37 ¥4,858

9.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ¥9,036

$59.1 ¥9,460

-4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,246

$20.39 ¥3,262

-31.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,992

$12.36 ¥1,978

0.73%

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

$374 ¥59.9K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

449.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,274 ¥1.2M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

-30.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 ¥7,466

$44.08 ¥7,050

5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.44 ¥5,028

$29.47 ¥4,713

6.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ¥8,859

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.4 ¥14.8K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥74.7K

$717 ¥114.7K

-34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.1K

$483 ¥77.2K

-32.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 ¥140.3K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-33.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥104.2K

$807 ¥129.0K

-19.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,879 ¥780.4K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-18.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,196 ¥351.2K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

6.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

1.81

-1.66%

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

Last update for Otsu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Otsu and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Otsu vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $306 vs $299, with Osaka 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

Otsu vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Otsu and Osaka differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,216 vs $1,371 including rent). Otsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Otsu and $2,057 in Osaka 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: $467 in Otsu versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Otsu runs roughly 52% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Otsu versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,216 in Otsu versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu 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, Otsu and Osaka 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 Otsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.