Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Sendai and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Sendai versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,883 in Sendai versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Sendai versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Sendai costs roughly 6% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sendai is 7% below, Osaka is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 ¥1,073

$7.07 ¥1,149

-6.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.01 ¥5,525

$34.92 ¥5,674

-2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ¥766

$4.76 ¥773

-1.05%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ¥659

$3.22 ¥523

26.09%

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

$1.57 ¥255

$1.10 ¥179

42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥119

$0.71 ¥115

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥561

$2.84 ¥462

21.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ¥580

$4.21 ¥683

-15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥230

$1.54 ¥250

-7.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ¥192

$1.43 ¥232

-17.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 ¥603

$4.62 ¥751

-19.70%

Eggs

$1.82 ¥296

$2.44 ¥396

-25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 ¥1,645

$10.56 ¥1,716

-4.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 ¥1,236

$6.57 ¥1,068

15.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ¥1,613

$18.71 ¥3,041

-46.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 ¥889

$3.69 ¥599

48.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ¥367

$2.11 ¥343

7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.10 ¥829

$2.47 ¥401

106.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$4.54 ¥738

-18.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ¥423

$1.64 ¥267

58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ¥328

$1.30 ¥212

55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ¥187

$1.37 ¥223

-16.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥122

$0.87 ¥142

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ¥797

$3.87 ¥629

26.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 ¥1,104

$9.15 ¥1,487

-25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥332

$2.10 ¥342

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥458

$2.87 ¥466

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 ¥287

$1.67 ¥271

5.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.26 ¥8,004

$35.74 ¥5,807

37.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 ¥898

$4.62 ¥751

19.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ¥212

$3.27 ¥532

-59.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.08 ¥3,262

$23.47 ¥3,814

-14.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥186

$1.18 ¥191

-3.39%

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

$21.0K ¥3.4M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-8.02%

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

$28.2K ¥4.6M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

63.12%

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

$177 ¥28.7K

$134 ¥21.8K

31.59%

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

$23.15 ¥3,762

$27.44 ¥4,458

-15.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.65 ¥5,142

$30.41 ¥4,941

4.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ¥8,854

$57.8 ¥9,396

-5.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.84 ¥2,248

$21.18 ¥3,441

-34.66%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 ¥2,006

$12.32 ¥2,002

0.24%

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

$311 ¥50.6K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

356.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,236 ¥1.0M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

-40.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ¥10.2K

$44.49 ¥7,229

41.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.19 ¥6,368

$29.52 ¥4,796

32.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.89 ¥8,106

$66.7 ¥10.8K

-25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 ¥12.3K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥72.3K

$727 ¥118.1K

-38.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥54.1K

$476 ¥77.3K

-30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥134.7K

$1,301 ¥211.3K

-36.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ¥103.4K

$827 ¥134.3K

-23.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,606 ¥423.5K

$5,911 ¥960.3K

-55.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ¥229.0K

$2,051 ¥333.2K

-31.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$862 ¥140.1K

$1,865 ¥303.0K

-53.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

65.75%

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

Last update for Sendai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Sendai and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 116% 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: $34.00 in Sendai vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $300 per month, with Sendai 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

Sendai vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sendai and Osaka differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,244 vs $1,330 including rent). Sendai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 116% 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: $445 in Sendai versus $727 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sendai runs roughly 38% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $311 in Sendai versus $68.2 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,244 in Sendai versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sendai but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Sendai 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, Sendai 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 Sendai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.