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: $1,155 in Tsukuba versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,866 in Tsukuba versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,577 in Tsukuba versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Tsukuba costs roughly 13% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tsukuba is 14% below, Osaka is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 ¥669

$7.07 ¥1,149

-41.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.67 ¥5,958

$34.92 ¥5,674

5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ¥928

$4.76 ¥773

19.96%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ¥457

$3.22 ¥523

-12.42%

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

$0.89 ¥145

$1.10 ¥179

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.71 ¥115

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ¥312

$2.84 ¥462

-32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥503

$4.21 ¥683

-26.37%

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)

$2.48 ¥402

$4.62 ¥751

-46.32%

Eggs

$2.22 ¥360

$2.44 ¥396

-9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 ¥1,312

$10.56 ¥1,716

-23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ¥992

$6.57 ¥1,068

-7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 ¥1,814

$18.71 ¥3,041

-40.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 ¥950

$3.69 ¥599

58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 ¥503

$2.11 ¥343

46.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 ¥643

$2.47 ¥401

60.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ¥341

$4.54 ¥738

-53.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥524

$1.64 ¥267

96.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 ¥556

$1.30 ¥212

163.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥174

$1.37 ¥223

-21.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥136

$0.87 ¥142

-4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 ¥633

$3.87 ¥629

0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 ¥1,460

$9.15 ¥1,487

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥293

$2.10 ¥342

-13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥346

$2.87 ¥466

-25.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 ¥405

$1.67 ¥271

49.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,851

$35.74 ¥5,807

52.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥550

$4.62 ¥751

-26.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥481

$3.27 ¥532

-9.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.57 ¥3,668

$23.47 ¥3,814

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥199

$1.18 ¥191

3.39%

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

$22.0K ¥3.6M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-3.68%

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

$15.1K ¥2.5M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-12.45%

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

$143 ¥23.2K

$134 ¥21.8K

6.39%

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

$27.48 ¥4,464

$27.44 ¥4,458

0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 ¥5,534

$30.41 ¥4,941

12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ¥9,670

$57.8 ¥9,396

2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥2,275

$21.18 ¥3,441

-33.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 ¥2,236

$12.32 ¥2,002

11.69%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

106.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥2.0M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.95 ¥6,654

$44.49 ¥7,229

-7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 ¥4,765

$29.52 ¥4,796

-0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.63 ¥6,764

$66.7 ¥10.8K

-37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 ¥15.6K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ¥84.1K

$727 ¥118.1K

-28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥51.4K

$476 ¥77.3K

-33.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ¥192.8K

$1,301 ¥211.3K

-8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 ¥112.4K

$827 ¥134.3K

-16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,959 ¥643.2K

$5,911 ¥960.3K

-33.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,109 ¥342.7K

$2,051 ¥333.2K

2.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 ¥226.6K

$1,865 ¥303.0K

-25.21%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Tsukuba and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 34% 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: $37.00 in Tsukuba vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $300, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,155 vs $1,330 including rent). Tsukuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $518 in Tsukuba versus $727 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 52% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $141 in Tsukuba versus $68.2 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,155 in Tsukuba versus $1,330 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 15% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.