Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Suginami-ku and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,177 in Suginami-ku versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,890 in Suginami-ku versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,602 in Suginami-ku versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Suginami-ku costs roughly 11% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suginami-ku is 12% below, Osaka is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 ¥1,134

$7.07 ¥1,149

-1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.14 ¥5,712

$34.92 ¥5,676

0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥824

$4.76 ¥773

6.51%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ¥518

$3.22 ¥523

-0.93%

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

$1.13 ¥184

$1.10 ¥179

2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.71 ¥115

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ¥329

$2.84 ¥462

-28.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥331

$4.21 ¥683

-51.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥255

$1.54 ¥250

1.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 ¥283

$1.43 ¥232

21.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 ¥808

$4.62 ¥751

7.58%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥257

$2.44 ¥396

-35.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 ¥1,625

$10.56 ¥1,717

-5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,042

$6.57 ¥1,068

-2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 ¥2,490

$18.71 ¥3,041

-18.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 ¥958

$3.69 ¥599

59.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 ¥509

$2.11 ¥343

48.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.47 ¥401

65.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 ¥748

$4.54 ¥738

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 ¥541

$1.64 ¥267

103.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ¥606

$1.30 ¥212

186.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥226

$1.37 ¥223

1.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥141

$0.87 ¥142

-1.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥674

$3.87 ¥629

7.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 ¥1,534

$9.15 ¥1,487

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥284

$2.10 ¥342

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥344

$2.87 ¥466

-26.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥262

$1.67 ¥271

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,857

$35.74 ¥5,808

52.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥568

$4.62 ¥751

-24.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥489

$3.27 ¥532

-7.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.25 ¥3,617

$23.47 ¥3,815

-5.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥202

$1.18 ¥192

5.93%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-0.11%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

7.73%

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

$83.6 ¥13.6K

$134 ¥21.8K

-37.75%

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

$27.56 ¥4,479

$27.44 ¥4,459

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.22 ¥5,562

$30.41 ¥4,942

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,231

$57.8 ¥9,399

-1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 ¥2,266

$21.18 ¥3,442

-34.18%

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 ¥1,864

$12.32 ¥2,002

-6.90%

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

$287 ¥46.6K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

320.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

30.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.67 ¥3,360

$44.49 ¥7,231

-53.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 ¥4,760

$29.52 ¥4,798

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,855

$66.7 ¥10.8K

-9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 ¥15.9K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 ¥76.6K

$727 ¥118.1K

-35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥54.3K

$476 ¥77.4K

-29.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 ¥139.2K

$1,301 ¥211.4K

-34.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥108.6K

$827 ¥134.4K

-19.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,568 ¥742.3K

$5,911 ¥960.6K

-22.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,023 ¥328.8K

$2,051 ¥333.3K

-1.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 ¥439.3K

$1,865 ¥303.1K

44.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

10.50%

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

Last update for Suginami-ku: July 13, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Suginami-ku and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suginami-ku pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Suginami-ku vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $300, 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

Suginami-ku vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suginami-ku and Osaka differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,177 vs $1,330 including rent). Suginami-ku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 45% higher in Suginami-ku, 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: $471 in Suginami-ku versus $727 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Suginami-ku runs roughly 52% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $287 in Suginami-ku versus $68.2 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,177 in Suginami-ku versus $1,330 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Suginami-ku but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Suginami-ku 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, Suginami-ku 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 Suginami-ku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.