Popular cities
Fukuoka vs Osaka cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฏ๐ต Fukuoka
๐ฏ๐ต Osaka
At a glance
- Where Osaka is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (44%โ), Street food (25%โ)
- Where Fukuoka is clearly cheaper: Cocktail & wine (42%โ), Entry ticket (33%โ), Haircut (29%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Fukuoka 1 vs Osaka 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Fukuoka | Osaka | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | similar |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 800$5.41 | ยฅ 600$4.05 | Osaka โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 500$3.38 | ยฅ 500$3.38 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 580$3.92 | ยฅ 550$3.72 | Osaka โ5% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 700$4.73 | ยฅ 1,200$8.11 | Fukuoka โ42% |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 130$0.88 | ยฅ 130$0.88 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 190$1.28 | ยฅ 180$1.22 | Osaka โ5% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | ยฅ 2,200$14.9 | Fukuoka โ9% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 900$6.08 | Osaka โ10% |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 210$1.42 | ยฅ 210$1.42 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 2,700$18.2 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Osaka โ44% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 13,000$87.8 | ยฅ 13,000$87.8 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 70,000$473 | ยฅ 85,000$574 | Fukuoka โ18% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 740$5 | ยฅ 900$6.08 | Fukuoka โ18% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | Fukuoka โ29% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 4,000$27 | ยฅ 5,000$33.8 | Fukuoka โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 8,000$54.1 | ยฅ 8,500$57.4 | Fukuoka โ6% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 1,500$10.1 | Fukuoka โ33% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Fukuoka or Osaka?
Fukuoka is 6% cheaper than Osaka. Daily budget $177 vs $181; a month $2,323 vs $2,585.
Which is easier to travel, Fukuoka or Osaka?
About the same: Fukuoka 1.6/5, Osaka 1.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Fukuoka and Osaka?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Fukuoka is about $2,323 and Osaka about $2,585 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.