Kyoto vs Osaka
- Typical 1R/1K rent in Kyoto is roughly 7% lower than in Osaka.
- Osaka has the higher minimum wage: ¥1,177 vs ¥1,122 per hour.
- Osaka has the larger foreign community — about 375,319 residents vs 92,563.
- On typical pay and living costs, Osaka leaves more room to save each month.
| Kyoto | Osaka | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign residents 1 | ≈92,563 | ≈375,319 |
| Share 1 | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| 1R/1K rent 2 | ¥50,000–¥75,000 | ¥55,000–¥80,000 |
| Monthly cost (single) 3 | ¥135,000–¥200,000 | ¥140,000–¥220,000 |
| Min. wage 1 | ¥1,122 | ¥1,177 |
| Typical gross pay 3 | ¥200,000–¥320,000 | ¥220,000–¥350,000 |
| English jobs 3 | Medium | Medium |
| SSW jobs 3 | Medium | High |
| Students 3 | High | High |
| Families 3 | Medium | Medium |
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1 Official data · 2 Market data · 3 Path2Japan estimate
Population and foreign-resident figures are prefecture-scoped (Tokyo-to, Osaka-fu, etc.) so cities stay comparable. Rent ranges are typical 1R/1K listing ranges; living cost and pay ranges are Path2Japan estimates built from official statistics and market samples — they are not official statistics.