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: $1,237 in Sendai versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,903 in Sendai versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,569 in Sendai versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Sendai costs roughly 10% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sendai is 8% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 ¥1,069

$6.95 ¥1,115

-4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 ¥5,451

$34.58 ¥5,543

-1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥789

$4.98 ¥798

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ¥614

$3.33 ¥533

15.02%

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

$1.57 ¥251

$1.08 ¥173

45.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.76 ¥122

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ¥569

$2.74 ¥439

29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ¥544

$4.35 ¥697

-22.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥257

-8.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.43 ¥229

-17.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 ¥618

$4.86 ¥779

-20.78%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥300

$2.46 ¥394

-23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ¥1,628

$10.43 ¥1,672

-2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,191

$6.38 ¥1,023

16.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥1,512

$18.61 ¥2,984

-49.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥859

$3.53 ¥565

51.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ¥369

$2.19 ¥350

5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 ¥794

$2.48 ¥398

99.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 ¥581

$4.31 ¥691

-16.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ¥420

$1.69 ¥272

55.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ¥318

$1.28 ¥206

54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ¥183

$1.39 ¥222

-17.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.85 ¥136

-4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 ¥782

$3.93 ¥631

24.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 ¥1,113

$9.27 ¥1,486

-25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥435

$2.99 ¥480

-9.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 ¥274

$1.61 ¥258

6.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.39 ¥7,917

$36.32 ¥5,823

35.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 ¥898

$4.56 ¥731

22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ¥217

$3.31 ¥531

-58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.16 ¥3,231

$23.95 ¥3,839

-15.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥189

$1.19 ¥191

-0.84%

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

$20.7K ¥3.3M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-12.13%

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

$28.2K ¥4.5M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

66.92%

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

$173 ¥27.7K

$135 ¥21.6K

28.33%

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

$23.14 ¥3,709

$27.60 ¥4,424

-16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 ¥5,051

$30.37 ¥4,868

3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,824

$59.1 ¥9,480

-6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ¥2,233

$20.39 ¥3,269

-31.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥1,974

$12.36 ¥1,982

-0.32%

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

$314 ¥50.4K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

361.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,305 ¥1.0M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

-40.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ¥9,920

$44.08 ¥7,065

40.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 ¥6,233

$29.47 ¥4,723

31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 ¥8,290

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 ¥12.3K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ¥71.5K

$717 ¥115.0K

-37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.3K

$483 ¥77.4K

-32.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥132.3K

$1,311 ¥210.1K

-37.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ¥101.4K

$807 ¥129.3K

-21.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 ¥425.8K

$5,951 ¥953.9K

-55.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 ¥227.5K

$2,055 ¥329.3K

-30.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 ¥181.8K

$1,944 ¥311.5K

-41.65%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Sendai and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 71% 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 $280 vs $299 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $1,371 including rent). Sendai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 71% less. 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: $446 in Sendai versus $717 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 36% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $314 in Sendai versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,237 in Sendai versus $1,371 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 11% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.