Cost of Living Comparison Between Yamaguchi and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Yamaguchi and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,181 in Yamaguchi versus $1,421 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Yamaguchi versus $2,048 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,478 in Yamaguchi versus $2,675 in Osaka.

Living in Yamaguchi costs roughly 17% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yamaguchi is 14% below, Osaka is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 ¥594

$6.40 ¥983

-39.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.66 ¥5,015

$32.97 ¥5,063

-0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 ¥794

$5.24 ¥805

-1.34%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥513

$2.95 ¥452

13.22%

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

$1.06 ¥164

$1.42 ¥218

-25.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥103

$0.75 ¥115

-10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ¥606

$2.67 ¥410

47.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥339

$3.99 ¥613

-44.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥253

$1.47 ¥226

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥301

$1.38 ¥212

42.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.91 ¥1,060

$5.60 ¥861

23.39%

Eggs

$2.22 ¥342

$2.10 ¥323

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.30 ¥2,810

$9.98 ¥1,532

83.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 ¥866

$9.54 ¥1,465

-40.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.30 ¥2,963

$18.71 ¥2,873

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ¥557

$3.47 ¥533

4.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ¥286

$1.98 ¥303

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 ¥459

$2.05 ¥315

45.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 ¥519

$4.02 ¥617

-15.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 ¥340

$1.60 ¥246

38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 ¥396

$1.19 ¥183

116.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ¥164

$1.39 ¥214

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥143

$0.85 ¥130

9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ¥635

$3.97 ¥610

4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 ¥989

$9.49 ¥1,457

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥263

$1.91 ¥293

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥291

$3.28 ¥504

-42.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.39 ¥214

5.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 ¥9,500

$32.85 ¥5,044

88.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥633

$3.80 ¥583

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥321

$3.34 ¥512

-37.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.38 ¥2,823

$21.84 ¥3,354

-15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥174

$1.10 ¥168

2.73%

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

$22.0K ¥3.4M

$22.6K ¥3.5M

-2.62%

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

$18.0K ¥2.8M

$15.2K ¥2.3M

18.07%

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

$190 ¥29.1K

$141 ¥21.6K

34.53%

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

$25.04 ¥3,845

$25.14 ¥3,860

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.96 ¥5,215

$31.21 ¥4,792

8.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 ¥7,385

$54.4 ¥8,347

-11.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,871

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 ¥1,732

$12.38 ¥1,902

-8.89%

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

$130 ¥20.0K

$526 ¥80.8K

-75.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ¥1.9M

$13.2K ¥2.0M

-4.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.96 ¥5,983

$49.05 ¥7,532

-20.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 ¥3,692

$31.73 ¥4,873

-24.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥9,353

$74.4 ¥11.4K

-18.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.32 ¥7,573

$91.7 ¥14.1K

-46.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥65.8K

$717 ¥110.1K

-40.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 ¥40.2K

$524 ¥80.5K

-50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ¥123.2K

$1,746 ¥268.1K

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 ¥88.1K

$798 ¥122.6K

-28.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,646 ¥713.4K

$6,373 ¥978.6K

-27.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,992 ¥305.9K

$1,960 ¥300.9K

1.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.85

2.21

-16.29%

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

Last update for Yamaguchi: September 8, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Yamaguchi and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Yamaguchi vs $33.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 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

Yamaguchi vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yamaguchi and Osaka differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,181 vs $1,421 including rent). Yamaguchi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,771 in Yamaguchi 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: $429 in Yamaguchi versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yamaguchi runs roughly 88% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $130 in Yamaguchi versus $526 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,181 in Yamaguchi versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yamaguchi but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Yamaguchi 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, Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.