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: $1,148 in Tsukuba versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Tsukuba versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,511 in Tsukuba versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Tsukuba costs roughly 16% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tsukuba is 14% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.24 ¥678

$6.95 ¥1,112

-38.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.23 ¥5,795

$34.58 ¥5,531

4.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥867

$4.98 ¥797

8.84%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ¥452

$3.33 ¥532

-15.02%

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

$0.92 ¥147

$1.08 ¥173

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.76 ¥122

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 ¥318

$2.74 ¥438

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ¥488

$4.35 ¥695

-29.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥250

$1.61 ¥257

-3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 ¥279

$1.43 ¥229

21.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ¥401

$4.86 ¥778

-48.56%

Eggs

$2.20 ¥353

$2.46 ¥393

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 ¥1,328

$10.43 ¥1,669

-20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 ¥972

$6.38 ¥1,021

-4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ¥1,782

$18.61 ¥2,977

-40.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 ¥943

$3.53 ¥564

67.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$2.19 ¥350

38.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 ¥629

$2.48 ¥397

58.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ¥328

$4.31 ¥689

-52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ¥542

$1.69 ¥271

100.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 ¥553

$1.28 ¥205

170.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥172

$1.39 ¥222

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥138

$0.85 ¥136

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥641

$3.93 ¥629

1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.42 ¥1,506

$9.27 ¥1,482

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥279

$2.13 ¥340

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.99 ¥479

-31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 ¥399

$1.61 ¥258

54.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,697

$36.32 ¥5,810

49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥551

$4.56 ¥729

-24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥462

$3.31 ¥530

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.87 ¥3,499

$23.95 ¥3,830

-8.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥189

$1.19 ¥191

-0.84%

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

$21.4K ¥3.4M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-9.23%

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

$15.4K ¥2.5M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

-8.96%

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

$141 ¥22.6K

$135 ¥21.6K

4.62%

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

$27.94 ¥4,469

$27.60 ¥4,415

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.60 ¥5,535

$30.37 ¥4,858

13.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ¥9,624

$59.1 ¥9,460

1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 ¥2,206

$20.39 ¥3,262

-32.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.60 ¥2,175

$12.36 ¥1,978

10.03%

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

$136 ¥21.8K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

99.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ¥1.9M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

13.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.80 ¥6,685

$44.08 ¥7,050

-5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 ¥4,792

$29.47 ¥4,713

1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.14 ¥6,741

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 ¥15.3K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 ¥80.4K

$717 ¥114.7K

-29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥50.8K

$483 ¥77.2K

-34.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 ¥190.0K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ¥111.4K

$807 ¥129.0K

-13.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,365 ¥698.2K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-26.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 ¥341.8K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

4.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,413 ¥226.1K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

-27.28%

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 Tsukuba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Tsukuba and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 38% 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: $36.00 in Tsukuba vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 vs $299, 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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,148 vs $1,371 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 38% less. 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: $503 in Tsukuba versus $717 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 50% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $136 in Tsukuba versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Tsukuba versus $1,371 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 19% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.