Cost of Living Comparison Between Shizuoka and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Shizuoka and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Shizuoka versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,995 in Shizuoka versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,682 in Shizuoka versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Shizuoka costs roughly 5% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 ¥1,078

$6.95 ¥1,112

-3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.42 ¥5,506

$34.58 ¥5,531

-0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ¥823

$4.98 ¥797

3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥562

$3.33 ¥532

5.41%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$1.08 ¥173

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.76 ¥122

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥337

$2.74 ¥438

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥328

$4.35 ¥695

-52.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥255

$1.61 ¥257

-1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.43 ¥229

6.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 ¥673

$4.86 ¥778

-13.37%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$2.46 ¥393

-38.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ¥1,751

$10.43 ¥1,669

4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 ¥1,029

$6.38 ¥1,021

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 ¥2,485

$18.61 ¥2,977

-16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 ¥863

$3.53 ¥564

52.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$2.19 ¥350

13.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 ¥628

$2.48 ¥397

58.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 ¥663

$4.31 ¥689

-3.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 ¥470

$1.69 ¥271

73.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 ¥399

$1.28 ¥205

94.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ¥246

$1.39 ¥222

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥219

$0.85 ¥136

61.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 ¥764

$3.93 ¥629

21.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 ¥1,419

$9.27 ¥1,482

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.13 ¥340

-3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ¥571

$2.99 ¥479

19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 ¥324

$1.61 ¥258

25.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.03 ¥3,684

$36.32 ¥5,810

-36.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 ¥658

$4.56 ¥729

-9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ¥323

$3.31 ¥530

-38.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.50 ¥3,279

$23.95 ¥3,830

-14.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥191

0.84%

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

$27.6K ¥4.4M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

17.14%

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

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

4.55%

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

$235 ¥37.6K

$135 ¥21.6K

74.40%

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

$17.16 ¥2,744

$27.60 ¥4,415

-37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.20 ¥6,430

$30.37 ¥4,858

32.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.9 ¥15.7K

$59.1 ¥9,460

65.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 ¥2,249

$20.39 ¥3,262

-31.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 ¥1,890

$12.36 ¥1,978

-4.37%

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

$246 ¥39.3K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

261.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

29.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.31 ¥7,248

$44.08 ¥7,050

2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 ¥4,804

$29.47 ¥4,713

1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥11.0K

$67.2 ¥10.8K

1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 ¥15.4K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ¥60.5K

$717 ¥114.7K

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥45.1K

$483 ¥77.2K

-41.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 ¥107.3K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-48.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 ¥91.4K

$807 ¥129.0K

-29.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,015 ¥962.0K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

1.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,151 ¥664.0K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

102.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,196 ¥351.3K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

12.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-44.75%

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

Last update for Shizuoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $378 in Shizuoka and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shizuoka pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Shizuoka vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 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

Shizuoka vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shizuoka and Osaka differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,307 vs $1,371 including rent). Shizuoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shizuoka pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $378 in Shizuoka versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shizuoka runs roughly 58% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $246 in Shizuoka versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,307 in Shizuoka versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shizuoka but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Shizuoka 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, Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.