✦ Compare
Osaka vs
Seattle
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Seattle, WA, you'd need
$88,279 / year
Seattle, WA is 18% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Seattle, WA vs Osaka, JP)
- Housing+59%
- Food & groceries+1%
- Transport+24%
- Utilities-23%
- Healthcare+20%
- Goods & services-3%
◎ How Osaka, JP and Seattle, WA compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Osaka, JP | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 96 | 113 |
| Housing | 92 | 146 |
| Food | 98 | 99 |
| Transport | 82 | 102 |
| Utilities | 110 | 85 |
| Healthcare | 85 | 102 |
| Goods & services | 104 | 101 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $850/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $600/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,600/mo | $4,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $6,500 | $9,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,040 | $884 |
| Inexpensive meal | $8 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $60 | $99 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 21% |
| Capital gains | 20.3% | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,300/mo | $1,257/mo |
| GDP per capita | $35,951 | $90,027 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.2% | — |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | Low | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 25 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC-8 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 82 | 52 |
| Healthcare index | 84 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 30 |
| Internet speed | 230 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 80 | 74 |
| Public transport | 88 | 70 |
| Family-friendly | 72 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $450/mo |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr | 79 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +6 °C | +5 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +19 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 200 | 152 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,300 mm | 950 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 1.5 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Japan vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Osaka
Japan's warm, wisecracking second city and its street-food heart — cheaper and more laid-back than Tokyo, with the same safety, transit and reliability. The gateway to Kansai (Kyoto and Kobe are minutes away), it's an easy-going base with a big food and startup scene.
- Currency
- Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Time zone
- UTC+9
- Internet
- 230 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 82/100
- Climate
- ❄ 6°C · ☀ 28°C · 200 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 100V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Namba · Umeda · Tennoji · Nakazakicho
Good to know before you move to Seattle
Big tech without state income tax, ringed by mountains and water — bring a rain jacket.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ USD)
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-8
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Native language
- Safety
- 52/100
- Climate
- ❄ 5°C · ☀ 19°C · 152 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Capitol Hill · Ballard · Fremont
Plan your move to Osaka
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
Plan your move to Seattle
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Osaka to Seattle: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Osaka to Seattle, your cost of living will be roughly 18% more expensive. Seattle’s cost-of-living index is 113 versus 96 for Osaka (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Osaka cheaper than Seattle?
Seattle is about 18% more expensive than Osaka overall — its cost-of-living index is 113 versus 96 for Osaka.
How much do you need to earn in Seattle to live like in Osaka?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Osaka is worth about $88,279 in Seattle. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Osaka or Seattle?
United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in Japan.
◷ More comparisons from Osaka
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.