Kyoto vs Osaka
📶
Kyoto has 1x faster internet
🌡️
Continental vs Temperate climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Kyoto
Osaka
Total Budget
$2,300/mo ✓
$2,400/mo
Rent (1BR)
$900/mo
$800/mo ✓
Coworking
$260/mo
$260/mo
Meal Out
$7 ✓
$8
Coffee
$3.5
$3.5
Kyoto is $100/mo cheaper (4% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇯🇵 Kyoto
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+9
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London2h
🇩🇪 Berlin3h
🇯🇵 Osaka
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+9
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London2h
🇩🇪 Berlin3h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Kyoto
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days127/year
Best months: June, July, September
Osaka
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days131/year
Best months: June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
4°5°
Apr
14°15°
Jul
28°29°
Oct
18°20°
KyotoOsaka
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇯🇵Kyoto
🇯🇵Osaka
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,300
$2,400
📶
Internet Speed
200 Mbps
Winner150 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.6/5
4.4/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.2/10
4.1/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
10/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
8/10
Winner🚶
Walkability
8/10
8/10
👥
Community
small
medium
Winner1
Kyoto wins
vs
2
Osaka wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Kyoto
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Osaka
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Osaka
World-famous nightlife scene
🇯🇵Kyoto
Pros
- +World-class concentration of temples, shrines and traditional streets for deep cultural immersion
- +Lower cost of living than Tokyo with still good infrastructure and services
- +Fast and reliable fibre internet widely available in apartments and coworking spaces
- +Safe city with low violent crime and generally calm neighbourhoods
Cons
- −Summers are hot and humid with mosquitoes, which can be uncomfortable if you like walking a lot
- −Overtourism in popular areas like Gion, Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama, especially during peak seasons
- −Smaller nomad and startup community compared to Tokyo or Osaka
- −English levels vary and some local businesses are Japanese-only
🇯🇵Osaka
Pros
- +One of Japan's top food cities with incredible street food in Dotonbori and countless casual restaurants
- +Lower rent than Tokyo while still offering full big-city infrastructure and transport
- +Fast and reliable fibre internet with strong fixed and mobile speeds across Osaka Prefecture
- +Very safe by global standards, with efficient public transport and walkable central districts
Cons
- −Summers are hot and humid, making long daytime walks uncomfortable from July to September
- −Some districts feel a bit gritty and noisy, especially around busy stations and nightlife zones
- −English is less widely spoken than in some Western hubs, so daily life may involve language friction
- −Tourist areas like Dotonbori can be very crowded and overwhelming at peak times