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: $1,135 in Shizuoka versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,778 in Shizuoka versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,421 in Shizuoka versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Shizuoka costs roughly 16% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shizuoka 17% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.35 ¥1,009

$6.13 ¥974

3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 ¥4,940

$30.75 ¥4,886

1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥774

$4.81 ¥764

1.25%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥468

$2.93 ¥466

0.68%

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

$0.98 ¥156

$1.43 ¥227

-31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥108

$0.69 ¥110

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ¥429

$2.63 ¥418

2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ¥582

$3.64 ¥579

0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥237

$1.43 ¥227

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ¥197

$1.28 ¥203

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 ¥712

$5.25 ¥834

-14.67%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥283

$2.10 ¥334

-15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 ¥1,077

$9.80 ¥1,557

-30.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 ¥821

$9.18 ¥1,459

-43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 ¥2,167

$18.09 ¥2,875

-24.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 ¥527

$3.38 ¥537

-1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ¥316

$1.91 ¥304

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ¥522

$1.98 ¥314

66.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ¥487

$3.89 ¥618

-21.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥235

$1.54 ¥244

-3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ¥185

$1.17 ¥186

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥177

$1.29 ¥205

-13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.81 ¥129

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥601

$3.84 ¥610

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 ¥1,407

$9.50 ¥1,510

-6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥223

$1.87 ¥297

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥489

$3.22 ¥512

-4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 ¥280

$1.36 ¥216

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 ¥8,851

$31.99 ¥5,084

74.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 ¥540

$3.77 ¥599

-9.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 ¥306

$3.04 ¥483

-36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.01 ¥3,021

$21.01 ¥3,338

-9.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ¥170

$1.09 ¥174

-1.83%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.4M

1.07%

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

$14.9K ¥2.4M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-1.59%

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

$135 ¥21.5K

$136 ¥21.6K

-0.62%

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

$15.62 ¥2,482

$23.92 ¥3,800

-34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,826

$30.63 ¥4,867

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 ¥8,062

$48.60 ¥7,722

4.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.70 ¥1,700

$17.90 ¥2,844

-40.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 ¥1,866

$12.04 ¥1,914

-2.41%

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

$314 ¥50.0K

$520 ¥82.6K

-39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ¥2.1M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 ¥2,851

$44.15 ¥7,016

-59.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.69 ¥3,446

$29.71 ¥4,721

-26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,699

$72.6 ¥11.5K

-15.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 ¥14.3K

$88.8 ¥14.1K

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥53.2K

$699 ¥111.1K

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥50.5K

$507 ¥80.6K

-37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ¥167.1K

$1,682 ¥267.2K

-37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 ¥116.1K

$761 ¥120.9K

-4.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,295 ¥682.5K

$5,636 ¥895.5K

-23.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,894 ¥301.0K

$1,822 ¥289.5K

3.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,207 ¥350.7K

$2,245 ¥356.7K

-1.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

-54.75%

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

Last update for Shizuoka: September 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Shizuoka and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 2% 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 Shizuoka vs $31.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $298 per month, with Shizuoka 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

Shizuoka vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shizuoka and Osaka differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,135 vs $1,346 including rent). Shizuoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $335 in Shizuoka versus $699 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 74% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $314 in Shizuoka versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,135 in Shizuoka versus $1,346 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 19% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.