Japanese Living-- What are the cities like?

It's a little hard to tell what places are like just with an image search.
I'm thinking about areas around Osaka to get around the cost of living in a large city. I'm mostly thinking about places around Hyogo or Nara, but any other areas would be nice.

A few things to consider:
What sort of feel do they have?
Pros? Cons?
Transportation?
Cost?
Nature?
Sights?
People?
Food?

Any ideas of interesting places to check out would be great. Thanks.

Is this planning for a potential job interview?
Have you ever been here before?

This will help with transportation and sights.
Osaka Travel Guide

Additional info from the city itself.
City of Osaka
Official Osaka Site