Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,497 in Taipei versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,333 in Taipei versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,168 in Taipei versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Taipei is roughly 13% more expensive than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Taipei 12% above, Osaka 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$7.07 ¥1,149

-6.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,286

$34.92 ¥5,674

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$180

$4.76 ¥773

17.44%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.22 ¥523

22.05%

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

$1.16 NT$37.60

$1.10 ¥179

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.19

$0.71 ¥115

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$2.84 ¥462

21.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$111

$4.21 ¥683

-18.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$1.54 ¥250

105.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$1.43 ¥232

31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$4.62 ¥751

-34.42%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$91.9

$2.44 ¥396

16.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$657

$10.56 ¥1,716

92.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$6.57 ¥1,068

54.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$18.71 ¥3,041

6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$162

$3.69 ¥599

36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$2.11 ¥343

36.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.7

$2.47 ¥401

17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$4.54 ¥738

-7.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.4

$1.64 ¥267

74.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.4

$1.30 ¥212

72.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.8

$1.37 ¥223

42.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.42

$0.87 ¥142

50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$3.87 ¥629

6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$446

$9.15 ¥1,487

51.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.2

$2.10 ¥342

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.4

$2.87 ¥466

-17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.76

$1.67 ¥271

-48.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,332

$35.74 ¥5,807

15.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$4.62 ¥751

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.90

$3.27 ¥532

-77.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$23.47 ¥3,814

-56.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.44

$1.18 ¥191

-11.86%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

69.54%

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

$27.6K NT$891.5K

$17.3K ¥2.8M

59.84%

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

$86.2 NT$2,781

$134 ¥21.8K

-35.82%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$27.44 ¥4,458

-32.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$790

$30.41 ¥4,941

-19.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,341

$57.8 ¥9,396

-28.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$21.18 ¥3,441

-34.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$12.32 ¥2,002

-4.95%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

843.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$608.4K

$10.6K ¥1.7M

78.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,921

$44.49 ¥7,229

33.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,078

$29.52 ¥4,796

13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$2,999

$66.7 ¥10.8K

39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,915

$96.8 ¥15.7K

25.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$727 ¥118.1K

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$476 ¥77.3K

13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$1,301 ¥211.3K

26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$827 ¥134.3K

30.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.3K

$5,911 ¥960.3K

117.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.3K

$2,051 ¥333.2K

270.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$1,865 ¥303.0K

-8.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

1.81

20.99%

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

Last update for Taipei: July 12, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Taipei and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taipei vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $300 per month, with Osaka 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

Taipei vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei and Osaka differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,497 vs $1,330 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% 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: $795 in Taipei versus $727 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 15% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $643 in Taipei versus $68.2 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka 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, Taipei 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 Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.