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: $1,308 in Otsu versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,898 in Otsu versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,487 in Otsu versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Otsu costs roughly 3% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Otsu 5% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 ¥1,340

$6.13 ¥954

40.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.27 ¥4,867

$30.75 ¥4,786

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ¥785

$4.81 ¥748

4.78%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥478

$2.93 ¥456

4.78%

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

$1.23 ¥191

$1.43 ¥223

-13.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥127

$0.69 ¥108

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 ¥484

$2.63 ¥409

18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ¥687

$3.64 ¥567

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥239

$1.43 ¥222

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥249

$1.28 ¥199

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 ¥692

$5.25 ¥817

-15.43%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥337

$2.10 ¥327

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 ¥2,431

$9.80 ¥1,525

59.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 ¥957

$9.18 ¥1,429

-33.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 ¥2,664

$18.09 ¥2,816

-5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 ¥802

$3.38 ¥526

52.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 ¥383

$1.91 ¥298

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 ¥775

$1.98 ¥308

151.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 ¥679

$3.89 ¥605

12.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 ¥335

$1.54 ¥239

39.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ¥297

$1.17 ¥182

63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ¥174

$1.29 ¥200

-13.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥136

$0.81 ¥127

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ¥609

$3.84 ¥597

1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 ¥1,440

$9.50 ¥1,479

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥309

$1.87 ¥290

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥329

$3.22 ¥502

-34.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ¥223

$1.36 ¥212

5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,603

$31.99 ¥4,979

72.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 ¥499

$3.77 ¥587

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 ¥437

$3.04 ¥473

-7.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.19 ¥4,388

$21.01 ¥3,270

34.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥165

$1.09 ¥170

-2.75%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

0.91%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-0.02%

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

$114 ¥17.8K

$136 ¥21.2K

-16.13%

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

$23.48 ¥3,655

$23.92 ¥3,722

-1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 ¥4,717

$30.63 ¥4,767

-1.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.59 ¥7,718

$48.60 ¥7,563

2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.18 ¥1,428

$17.90 ¥2,786

-48.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 ¥1,919

$12.04 ¥1,874

2.41%

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

$562 ¥87.4K

$520 ¥80.9K

8.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ¥2.0M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-4.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 ¥8,539

$44.15 ¥6,872

24.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.45 ¥5,517

$29.71 ¥4,624

19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 ¥10.9K

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 ¥15.4K

$88.8 ¥13.8K

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ¥68.1K

$699 ¥108.8K

-37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ¥57.2K

$507 ¥78.9K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ¥95.5K

$1,682 ¥261.8K

-63.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥70.8K

$761 ¥118.4K

-40.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,291 ¥667.8K

$5,636 ¥877.2K

-23.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,937 ¥301.4K

$1,822 ¥283.6K

6.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,798 ¥279.8K

$2,245 ¥349.4K

-19.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

2.21

-4.98%

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

Last update for Otsu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Otsu and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Otsu vs $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $298, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,308 vs $1,346 including rent). Otsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Osaka. 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: $437 in Otsu versus $699 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 73% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $562 in Otsu versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,308 in Otsu versus $1,346 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 3% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.