Cost of Living Comparison Between Utsunomiya and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Utsunomiya and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Utsunomiya versus $1,421 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,947 in Utsunomiya versus $2,048 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,635 in Utsunomiya versus $2,675 in Osaka.

Living in Utsunomiya costs roughly 11% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Utsunomiya is 9% below, Osaka is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥941

$6.40 ¥983

-4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.11 ¥2,627

$32.97 ¥5,063

-48.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ¥699

$5.24 ¥805

-13.17%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥546

$2.95 ¥452

20.34%

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

$1.09 ¥167

$1.42 ¥218

-23.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥125

$0.75 ¥115

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 ¥488

$2.67 ¥410

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥297

$3.99 ¥613

-51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.47 ¥226

-5.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥270

$1.38 ¥212

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.81 ¥893

$5.60 ¥861

3.75%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥342

$2.10 ¥323

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 ¥1,693

$9.98 ¥1,532

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 ¥1,176

$9.54 ¥1,465

-19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 ¥3,061

$18.71 ¥2,873

6.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 ¥823

$3.47 ¥533

54.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ¥393

$1.98 ¥303

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.68 ¥718

$2.05 ¥315

128.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 ¥930

$4.02 ¥617

50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ¥538

$1.60 ¥246

118.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 ¥517

$1.19 ¥183

183.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥193

$1.39 ¥214

-9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥123

$0.85 ¥130

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 ¥607

$3.97 ¥610

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,423

$9.49 ¥1,457

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥280

$1.91 ¥293

-4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ¥470

$3.28 ¥504

-6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ¥222

$1.39 ¥214

4.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,491

$32.85 ¥5,044

68.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 ¥492

$3.80 ¥583

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥491

$3.34 ¥512

-4.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.70 ¥2,871

$21.84 ¥3,354

-14.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥169

$1.10 ¥168

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

$21.3K ¥3.3M

$22.6K ¥3.5M

-5.80%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$15.2K ¥2.3M

-1.81%

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

$162 ¥24.8K

$141 ¥21.6K

14.70%

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

$22.70 ¥3,486

$25.14 ¥3,860

-9.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.92 ¥4,594

$31.21 ¥4,792

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.90 ¥7,662

$54.4 ¥8,347

-8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.30 ¥1,888

$18.69 ¥2,871

-34.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥1,943

$12.38 ¥1,902

2.18%

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

$1,301 ¥199.7K

$526 ¥80.8K

147.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ¥2.7M

$13.2K ¥2.0M

33.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ¥8,008

$49.05 ¥7,532

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.88 ¥4,896

$31.73 ¥4,873

0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 ¥9,506

$74.4 ¥11.4K

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ¥11.2K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

-20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥71.0K

$717 ¥110.1K

-35.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥49.8K

$524 ¥80.5K

-38.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 ¥166.6K

$1,746 ¥268.1K

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 ¥111.0K

$798 ¥122.6K

-9.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,204 ¥645.6K

$6,373 ¥978.6K

-34.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 ¥292.8K

$1,960 ¥300.9K

-2.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

2.21

-12.67%

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

Last update for Utsunomiya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Utsunomiya and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Utsunomiya vs $33.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $309, with Osaka 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

Utsunomiya vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Utsunomiya and Osaka differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,259 vs $1,421 including rent). Utsunomiya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Utsunomiya and $2,131 in Osaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $463 in Utsunomiya versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Utsunomiya runs roughly 68% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,301 in Utsunomiya versus $526 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,259 in Utsunomiya versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Utsunomiya but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Utsunomiya 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, Utsunomiya 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 Utsunomiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.