Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kawagoe and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,421 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,977 in Kawagoe versus $2,048 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Kawagoe versus $2,675 in Osaka.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 14% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 11% below, Osaka is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ¥1,018

$6.40 ¥983

3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.66 ¥6,551

$32.97 ¥5,063

29.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥786

$5.24 ¥805

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥538

$2.95 ¥452

18.64%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥143

$1.42 ¥218

-34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥77.5

$0.75 ¥115

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ¥296

$2.67 ¥410

-27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ¥432

$3.99 ¥613

-29.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥183

$1.47 ¥226

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥198

$1.38 ¥212

-6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 ¥582

$5.60 ¥861

-32.32%

Eggs

$2.13 ¥327

$2.10 ¥323

1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 ¥974

$9.98 ¥1,532

-36.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 ¥927

$9.54 ¥1,465

-36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 ¥2,273

$18.71 ¥2,873

-20.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥913

$3.47 ¥533

71.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 ¥358

$1.98 ¥303

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥447

$2.05 ¥315

41.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥495

$4.02 ¥617

-19.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 ¥417

$1.60 ¥246

69.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ¥295

$1.19 ¥183

61.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ¥195

$1.39 ¥214

-8.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥118

$0.85 ¥130

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥612

$3.97 ¥610

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 ¥751

$9.49 ¥1,457

-48.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥285

$1.91 ¥293

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥321

$3.28 ¥504

-36.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 ¥474

$1.39 ¥214

122.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$162 ¥24.8K

$32.85 ¥5,044

392.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ¥509

$3.80 ¥583

-12.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 ¥393

$3.34 ¥512

-23.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.09 ¥3,239

$21.84 ¥3,354

-3.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥170

$1.10 ¥168

0.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$16.1K ¥2.5M

$22.6K ¥3.5M

-28.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$13.1K ¥2.0M

$15.2K ¥2.3M

-13.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$137 ¥21.0K

$141 ¥21.6K

-2.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.78 ¥3,498

$25.14 ¥3,860

-9.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.01 ¥5,068

$31.21 ¥4,792

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 ¥6,892

$54.4 ¥8,347

-17.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.59 ¥5,004

$18.69 ¥2,871

74.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 ¥1,755

$12.38 ¥1,902

-7.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$325 ¥49.9K

$526 ¥80.8K

-38.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,361 ¥976.7K

$13.2K ¥2.0M

-51.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.02 ¥4,917

$49.05 ¥7,532

-34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 ¥5,143

$31.73 ¥4,873

5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.80 ¥7,032

$74.4 ¥11.4K

-38.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 ¥14.9K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥64.3K

$717 ¥110.1K

-41.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥43.2K

$524 ¥80.5K

-46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ¥134.2K

$1,746 ¥268.1K

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 ¥93.5K

$798 ¥122.6K

-23.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,546 ¥390.9K

$6,373 ¥978.6K

-60.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,288 ¥197.8K

$1,960 ¥300.9K

-34.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 ¥251.5K

$2,336 ¥358.7K

-29.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.6

2.21

-27.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kawagoe: September 7, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $419 in Kawagoe and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Kawagoe vs $33.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $309, with Kawagoe cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kawagoe vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kawagoe and Osaka differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,221 vs $1,421 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Osaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $419 in Kawagoe versus $717 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $33.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,221 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,421 in Osaka – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,421 in Osaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kawagoe and Osaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.