Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Shiga and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Shiga versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Shiga versus $2,044 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Shiga versus $2,737 in Osaka.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Shiga is 10% below, Osaka is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ¥1,087

$6.95 ¥1,112

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 ¥5,446

$34.23 ¥5,475

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥793

$4.87 ¥778

1.85%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ¥431

$3.29 ¥527

-17.93%

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

$1.09 ¥175

$1.08 ¥174

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥121

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 ¥445

$2.82 ¥450

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 ¥677

$4.30 ¥687

-1.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥209

$1.59 ¥254

-17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ¥226

$1.49 ¥238

-5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 ¥646

$4.68 ¥749

-13.68%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$2.41 ¥386

1.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ¥1,697

$10.49 ¥1,679

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ¥1,034

$6.33 ¥1,013

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 ¥3,040

$19.18 ¥3,068

-0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 ¥585

$3.69 ¥590

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥334

$2.11 ¥338

-0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ¥417

$2.60 ¥416

0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 ¥694

$4.55 ¥727

-4.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.71 ¥274

-2.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ¥207

$1.25 ¥200

3.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥212

$1.36 ¥218

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.84 ¥135

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥635

$3.85 ¥615

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 ¥1,477

$9.13 ¥1,460

1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥338

$2.05 ¥328

2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ¥475

$2.93 ¥469

1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥266

$1.60 ¥256

4.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 ¥8,858

$36.06 ¥5,768

53.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥730

$4.56 ¥729

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 ¥531

$3.38 ¥540

-1.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.32 ¥3,730

$23.20 ¥3,710

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.22 ¥196

-4.92%

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

$22.8K ¥3.6M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-3.41%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-1.33%

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

$134 ¥21.5K

$132 ¥21.0K

2.06%

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

$27.40 ¥4,382

$27.19 ¥4,349

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.82 ¥4,929

$30.52 ¥4,881

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥8,987

$57.3 ¥9,170

-1.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,227

$21.19 ¥3,390

-34.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥2,020

$12.24 ¥1,957

3.19%

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

$69.5 ¥11.1K

$68.3 ¥10.9K

1.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K ¥1.6M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

-3.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.76 ¥7,159

$44.66 ¥7,144

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ¥4,674

$29.63 ¥4,740

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$68.4 ¥10.9K

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥15.4K

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥74.5K

$732 ¥117.0K

-36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥51.9K

$466 ¥74.6K

-30.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ¥136.5K

$1,284 ¥205.4K

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥104.2K

$813 ¥130.1K

-19.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,201 ¥671.9K

$6,119 ¥978.7K

-31.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,670 ¥427.0K

$2,098 ¥335.5K

27.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,176 ¥188.1K

$1,968 ¥314.7K

-40.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

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

Last update for Shiga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Osaka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Shiga and $732 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 67% 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 Shiga vs $34.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $302 per month, with Shiga 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

Shiga vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shiga and Osaka differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,205 vs $1,352 including rent). Shiga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 67% 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: $466 in Shiga versus $732 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shiga runs roughly 54% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $69.5 in Shiga versus $68.3 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Shiga versus $1,352 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shiga but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Shiga 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, Shiga 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 Shiga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.