Japan
Japan's boisterous kitchen, famous for takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and a friendlier, funnier vibe than Tokyo. A street-food paradise with easy access to Kyoto and Nara.
#128 of 250
21% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 1 140
Based on NYC = 100 index
Osaka is the 128. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 1 139 for one adult.
Most of that goes on basic grocery basket, which runs 68% above the median city and adds $ 100 a month: chicken breast (1kg) $ 11, pork (1kg) $ 12.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is housing, 57% below the median: 1br apartment (city center) $ 512, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 379. You also get off lightly on restaurants, healthcare.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
42 prices on this page come from live scrapers (13 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Osaka, Japan. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/osaka. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 511.68 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 379.02 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,452.91 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 536.94 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Suumo |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 10.55 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Pork (1kg) | 12.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Beef (1kg) | 49.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 17.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 15.48 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.44 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Cheese (1kg) | 16.93 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Butter (200g) | 3.70 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Eggs (12) | 2.46 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Bread (500g) | 1.95 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.80 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Rice (1kg) | 5.23 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 3.82 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 4.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 7.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Carrots (1kg) | 3.08 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Onions (1kg) | 2.73 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Apples (1kg) | 7.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Banana (1kg) | 2.24 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Oranges (1kg) | 4.95 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Flour (1kg) | 2.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.76 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.57 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.63 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Retail Price Survey (小売物価統計調査) |
| Taxi Start | 3.79 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 2.73 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.08 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | National fuel price sources |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 44.53 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 18.76 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 22.24 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 64.70 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Asia Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 13.90 / ticket | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices (Asia-Pacific), Asia Entertainment Chains |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 10.11 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices (Asia-Pacific) |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 2.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 31.52 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 18.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 111.18 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Nike.com (live) |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 445
per month
$ 246
per month
$ 147
per month
$ 67
per month
$ 86
per month
$ 113
per month
$ 11
per month
$ 24
per month