Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,684 in Tokyo versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Tokyo versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,703 in Tokyo versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 23% more expensive than Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 26% above, Osaka 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.95 ¥1,112

16.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.58 ¥5,531

39.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.98 ¥797

14.26%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.33 ¥532

7.21%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.08 ¥173

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.76 ¥122

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.74 ¥438

55.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$4.35 ¥695

21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.61 ¥257

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.43 ¥229

11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.86 ¥778

9.47%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.46 ¥393

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.43 ¥1,669

53.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.38 ¥1,021

23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$18.61 ¥2,977

24.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$3.53 ¥564

48.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.19 ¥350

17.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$2.48 ¥397

131.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.31 ¥689

38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$1.69 ¥271

89.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.28 ¥205

174.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.39 ¥222

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.85 ¥136

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.93 ¥629

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.27 ¥1,482

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.13 ¥340

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.99 ¥479

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.61 ¥258

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$36.32 ¥5,810

133.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$4.56 ¥729

-23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.31 ¥530

-13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$23.95 ¥3,830

11.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.19 ¥191

2.52%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-0.40%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

3.09%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$135 ¥21.6K

21.32%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.60 ¥4,415

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$30.37 ¥4,858

11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$59.1 ¥9,460

16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$20.39 ¥3,262

-1.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.36 ¥1,978

5.66%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

643.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$44.08 ¥7,050

36.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.47 ¥4,713

36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$717 ¥114.7K

52.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$483 ¥77.2K

23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

99.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$807 ¥129.0K

66.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$5,951 ¥951.8K

81.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

142.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

28.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.81

-4.97%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,094 in Tokyo and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 29% 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: $48.00 in Tokyo vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $299 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

Tokyo vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo and Osaka differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,684 vs $1,371 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tokyo pays 29% 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: $1,094 in Tokyo versus $717 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 134% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Tokyo versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,684 in Tokyo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. 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, Tokyo 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 23% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.