Cost of Living Comparison Between Wakayama and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Wakayama and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Wakayama versus $1,346 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Wakayama versus $1,976 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Wakayama versus $2,606 in Osaka.

Living in Wakayama costs roughly 5% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Wakayama 7% lower, Osaka 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.32 ¥988

$6.13 ¥957

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.80 ¥4,812

$30.75 ¥4,804

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥791

$4.81 ¥751

5.20%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ¥364

$2.93 ¥458

-20.48%

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

$1.23 ¥193

$1.43 ¥224

-13.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥134

$0.69 ¥108

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ¥493

$2.63 ¥411

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥290

$3.64 ¥569

-49.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥240

$1.43 ¥223

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥241

$1.28 ¥200

20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥635

$5.25 ¥820

-22.67%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥343

$2.10 ¥329

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.85 ¥2,476

$9.80 ¥1,531

61.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 ¥1,067

$9.18 ¥1,435

-25.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.91 ¥2,642

$18.09 ¥2,827

-6.52%

Apples (1kg)

$8.13 ¥1,271

$3.38 ¥528

140.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 ¥462

$1.91 ¥299

54.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.93 ¥770

$1.98 ¥309

148.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.59 ¥1,185

$3.89 ¥608

95.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ¥606

$1.54 ¥240

151.95%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 ¥708

$1.17 ¥183

287.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.29 ¥201

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.81 ¥127

8.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥618

$3.84 ¥600

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 ¥1,509

$9.50 ¥1,484

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ¥394

$1.87 ¥292

34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥337

$3.22 ¥504

-32.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 ¥248

$1.36 ¥213

16.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ¥8,826

$31.99 ¥4,998

76.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ¥503

$3.77 ¥589

-14.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 ¥438

$3.04 ¥475

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.38 ¥2,403

$21.01 ¥3,282

-26.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ¥167

$1.09 ¥171

-1.83%

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

$21.5K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

0.41%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-1.91%

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

$114 ¥17.9K

$136 ¥21.3K

-16.06%

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

$22.81 ¥3,564

$23.92 ¥3,736

-4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.65 ¥4,789

$30.63 ¥4,785

0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.44 ¥6,943

$48.60 ¥7,592

-8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,797

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 ¥1,789

$12.04 ¥1,881

-4.90%

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

$567 ¥88.6K

$520 ¥81.2K

9.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 ¥7,805

$44.15 ¥6,898

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.01 ¥5,626

$29.71 ¥4,641

21.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 ¥9,303

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 ¥14.9K

$88.8 ¥13.9K

7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 ¥68.2K

$699 ¥109.2K

-37.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ¥47.4K

$507 ¥79.2K

-40.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 ¥170.4K

$1,682 ¥262.7K

-35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥102.5K

$761 ¥118.9K

-13.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 ¥648.4K

$5,636 ¥880.4K

-26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,703 ¥266.1K

$1,822 ¥284.6K

-6.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,956 ¥618.0K

$2,245 ¥350.7K

76.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

2.21

-24.89%

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

Last update for Wakayama: September 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Wakayama and $699 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wakayama pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Wakayama vs $31.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $298, 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

Wakayama vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wakayama and Osaka differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,273 vs $1,346 including rent). Wakayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Wakayama, 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: $436 in Wakayama versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wakayama runs roughly 77% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $567 in Wakayama versus $520 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,273 in Wakayama versus $1,346 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Wakayama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Wakayama 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, Wakayama 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 Wakayama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.