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: $1,344 in Wakayama versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,118 in Wakayama versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,893 in Wakayama versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Wakayama costs roughly 2% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wakayama 0% above, Osaka 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 ¥1,116

$6.95 ¥1,112

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.10 ¥5,614

$34.58 ¥5,531

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ¥1,003

$4.98 ¥797

25.90%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥491

$3.33 ¥532

-7.81%

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

$1.19 ¥191

$1.08 ¥173

10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 ¥541

$2.74 ¥438

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥329

$4.35 ¥695

-52.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥270

$1.61 ¥257

4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥288

$1.43 ¥229

25.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 ¥817

$4.86 ¥778

4.94%

Eggs

$2.55 ¥408

$2.46 ¥393

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 ¥2,756

$10.43 ¥1,669

65.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,189

$6.38 ¥1,021

16.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 ¥2,439

$18.61 ¥2,977

-18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$8.90 ¥1,424

$3.53 ¥564

152.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ¥448

$2.19 ¥350

27.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 ¥781

$2.48 ¥397

96.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.57 ¥1,531

$4.31 ¥689

122.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 ¥638

$1.69 ¥271

136.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ¥417

$1.28 ¥205

103.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.39 ¥222

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ¥224

$0.85 ¥136

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ¥553

$3.93 ¥629

-11.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ¥1,467

$9.27 ¥1,482

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ¥458

$2.13 ¥340

34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥363

$2.99 ¥479

-24.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥266

$1.61 ¥258

3.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 ¥8,800

$36.32 ¥5,810

51.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ¥548

$4.56 ¥729

-24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 ¥472

$3.31 ¥530

-10.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.57 ¥2,810

$23.95 ¥3,830

-26.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.19 ¥191

4.20%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-1.76%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.18%

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

$138 ¥22.1K

$135 ¥21.6K

2.71%

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

$26.81 ¥4,289

$27.60 ¥4,415

-2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.21 ¥5,472

$30.37 ¥4,858

12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ¥8,938

$59.1 ¥9,460

-5.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ¥2,183

$20.39 ¥3,262

-33.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 ¥1,994

$12.36 ¥1,978

0.89%

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

$474 ¥75.8K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

595.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

7.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.82 ¥7,488

$44.08 ¥7,050

6.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.66 ¥5,224

$29.47 ¥4,713

10.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.8 ¥8,929

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-16.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.6K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥73.9K

$717 ¥114.7K

-35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥52.0K

$483 ¥77.2K

-32.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥137.4K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-34.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ¥104.3K

$807 ¥129.0K

-19.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,458 ¥713.1K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,039 ¥326.2K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

-0.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,832 ¥612.9K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

97.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

1.81

-7.73%

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

Last update for Wakayama: June 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Wakayama and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wakayama pays 97% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Wakayama vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $299, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,344 vs $1,371 including rent). Wakayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Wakayama pays 97% more on average, 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: $462 in Wakayama versus $717 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 51% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $474 in Wakayama versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Wakayama versus $1,371 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 2% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.