Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsukuba and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Tsukuba and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Tsukuba versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,750 in Tsukuba versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Tsukuba versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Tsukuba costs roughly 17% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tsukuba 19% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 ¥1,002

$6.13 ¥954

5.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.66 ¥5,083

$30.75 ¥4,786

6.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥770

$4.81 ¥748

2.91%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ¥404

$2.93 ¥456

-11.60%

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

$0.95 ¥148

$1.43 ¥223

-33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥113

$0.69 ¥108

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ¥340

$2.63 ¥409

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥482

$3.64 ¥567

-14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ¥213

$1.43 ¥222

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥258

$1.28 ¥199

29.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ¥497

$5.25 ¥817

-39.24%

Eggs

$2.05 ¥320

$2.10 ¥327

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 ¥1,800

$9.80 ¥1,525

17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 ¥923

$9.18 ¥1,429

-35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 ¥2,203

$18.09 ¥2,816

-21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 ¥872

$3.38 ¥526

65.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 ¥422

$1.91 ¥298

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 ¥457

$1.98 ¥308

47.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 ¥631

$3.89 ¥605

4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ¥403

$1.54 ¥239

68.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ¥390

$1.17 ¥182

113.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ¥121

$1.29 ¥200

-39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥127

$0.81 ¥127

1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 ¥572

$3.84 ¥597

-4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥946

$9.50 ¥1,479

-36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥276

$1.87 ¥290

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥309

$3.22 ¥502

-38.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥230

$1.36 ¥212

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 ¥8,010

$31.99 ¥4,979

60.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ¥501

$3.77 ¥587

-14.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 ¥399

$3.04 ¥473

-15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.71 ¥3,224

$21.01 ¥3,270

-1.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥173

$1.09 ¥170

1.83%

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

$21.1K ¥3.3M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

-1.42%

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

$18.2K ¥2.8M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

20.03%

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

$128 ¥20.0K

$136 ¥21.2K

-5.66%

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

$24.00 ¥3,736

$23.92 ¥3,722

0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.35 ¥4,880

$30.63 ¥4,767

2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ¥8,357

$48.60 ¥7,563

10.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 ¥1,986

$12.04 ¥1,874

5.98%

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

$92.9 ¥14.5K

$520 ¥80.9K

-82.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

9.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 ¥7,254

$44.15 ¥6,872

5.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.46 ¥4,897

$29.71 ¥4,624

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.40 ¥5,822

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-48.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.47 ¥6,455

$88.8 ¥13.8K

-53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ¥70.2K

$699 ¥108.8K

-35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ¥43.1K

$507 ¥78.9K

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 ¥166.5K

$1,682 ¥261.8K

-36.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 ¥97.2K

$761 ¥118.4K

-17.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,049 ¥630.1K

$5,636 ¥877.2K

-28.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,888 ¥293.8K

$1,822 ¥283.6K

3.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,412 ¥219.7K

$2,245 ¥349.4K

-37.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

-9.50%

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

Last update for Tsukuba: August 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Tsukuba and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 59% 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: $33.00 in Tsukuba vs $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $298, with Tsukuba 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

Tsukuba vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tsukuba and Osaka differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,115 vs $1,346 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% 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: $451 in Tsukuba versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tsukuba runs roughly 61% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $92.9 in Tsukuba versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,115 in Tsukuba versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tsukuba but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Tsukuba 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, Tsukuba 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 Tsukuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.