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: $1,254 in Yamaguchi versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,945 in Yamaguchi versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,636 in Yamaguchi versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Yamaguchi costs roughly 9% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yamaguchi is 6% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 ¥662

$6.95 ¥1,112

-40.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 ¥5,487

$34.58 ¥5,531

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ¥899

$4.98 ¥797

12.85%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥483

$3.33 ¥532

-9.31%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$1.08 ¥173

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.76 ¥122

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥420

$2.74 ¥438

-4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 ¥792

$4.35 ¥695

13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥266

$1.61 ¥257

3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.43 ¥229

16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 ¥654

$4.86 ¥778

-15.84%

Eggs

$2.50 ¥399

$2.46 ¥393

1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ¥1,610

$10.43 ¥1,669

-3.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ¥1,004

$6.38 ¥1,021

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ¥3,362

$18.61 ¥2,977

12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 ¥494

$3.53 ¥564

-12.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥229

$2.19 ¥350

-34.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥218

$2.48 ¥397

-45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 ¥950

$4.31 ¥689

37.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥433

$1.69 ¥271

60.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ¥512

$1.28 ¥205

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥158

$1.39 ¥222

-28.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.85 ¥136

-10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ¥617

$3.93 ¥629

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$9.27 ¥1,482

-30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥322

$2.13 ¥340

-5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥330

$2.99 ¥479

-31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.61 ¥258

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ¥8,786

$36.32 ¥5,810

51.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥726

$4.56 ¥729

-0.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥473

$3.31 ¥530

-10.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.25 ¥3,079

$23.95 ¥3,830

-19.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥190

$1.19 ¥191

-0.84%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

0.27%

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

$19.8K ¥3.2M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

17.31%

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

$221 ¥35.4K

$135 ¥21.6K

64.00%

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

$27.72 ¥4,433

$27.60 ¥4,415

0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.15 ¥5,622

$30.37 ¥4,858

15.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ¥9,062

$59.1 ¥9,460

-4.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.66 ¥2,185

$20.39 ¥3,262

-33.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 ¥2,252

$12.36 ¥1,978

13.92%

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

$418 ¥66.8K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

513.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

28.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 ¥6,947

$44.08 ¥7,050

-1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.04 ¥4,645

$29.47 ¥4,713

-1.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 ¥10.6K

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 ¥9,545

$94.8 ¥15.2K

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥74.2K

$717 ¥114.7K

-35.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥53.3K

$483 ¥77.2K

-30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.7K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-33.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ¥105.4K

$807 ¥129.0K

-18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,679 ¥748.4K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-21.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,266 ¥362.4K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

10.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

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 Yamaguchi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Yamaguchi and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Yamaguchi vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $299 per month, with Yamaguchi cheaper across the board.

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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $1,371 including rent). Yamaguchi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Yamaguchi and $2,057 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: $464 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 51% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $418 in Yamaguchi versus $68.1 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,254 in Yamaguchi versus $1,371 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 9% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.