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: $1,239 in Kawagoe versus $1,371 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Kawagoe versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,766 in Kawagoe versus $2,705 in Osaka.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 10% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 8% below, Osaka is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 ¥1,119

$6.95 ¥1,112

0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.40 ¥5,503

$34.58 ¥5,531

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥812

$4.98 ¥797

2.01%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ¥463

$3.33 ¥532

-13.21%

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

$1.06 ¥169

$1.08 ¥173

-1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.76 ¥122

-1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ¥326

$2.74 ¥438

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥342

$4.35 ¥695

-50.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥280

$1.61 ¥257

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 ¥307

$1.43 ¥229

34.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.86 ¥1,257

$4.86 ¥778

61.73%

Eggs

$1.50 ¥239

$2.46 ¥393

-39.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 ¥1,928

$10.43 ¥1,669

15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 ¥1,943

$6.38 ¥1,021

90.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 ¥2,688

$18.61 ¥2,977

-9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.69 ¥1,229

$3.53 ¥564

117.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ¥407

$2.19 ¥350

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 ¥736

$2.48 ¥397

85.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 ¥737

$4.31 ¥689

6.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ¥590

$1.69 ¥271

118.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.70 ¥592

$1.28 ¥205

189.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 ¥370

$1.39 ¥222

66.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ¥198

$0.85 ¥136

45.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ¥676

$3.93 ¥629

7.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ¥1,319

$9.27 ¥1,482

-11.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 ¥411

$2.13 ¥340

20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ¥541

$2.99 ¥479

13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.61 ¥258

-1.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 ¥8,805

$36.32 ¥5,810

51.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥550

$4.56 ¥729

-24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥477

$3.31 ¥530

-9.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.79 ¥3,325

$23.95 ¥3,830

-13.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.19 ¥191

0.84%

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

$24.0K ¥3.8M

$23.6K ¥3.8M

2.10%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

0.42%

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

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$135 ¥21.6K

-37.02%

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

$10.57 ¥1,691

$27.60 ¥4,415

-61.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.16 ¥2,744

$30.37 ¥4,858

-43.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 ¥11.9K

$59.1 ¥9,460

25.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥2,245

$20.39 ¥3,262

-31.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 ¥1,814

$12.36 ¥1,978

-8.25%

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

$281 ¥45.0K

$68.1 ¥10.9K

312.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

25.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.74 ¥6,837

$44.08 ¥7,050

-3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ¥4,801

$29.47 ¥4,713

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 ¥9,620

$67.2 ¥10.8K

-10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 ¥15.4K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ¥74.2K

$717 ¥114.7K

-35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥51.9K

$483 ¥77.2K

-32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥138.4K

$1,311 ¥209.6K

-34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.6K

$807 ¥129.0K

-18.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ¥394.8K

$5,951 ¥951.8K

-58.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,363 ¥378.0K

$2,055 ¥328.6K

15.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,589 ¥254.1K

$1,944 ¥310.9K

-18.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

10.50%

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

Last update for Kawagoe: May 31, 2026

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in Kawagoe and $717 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 22% 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: $34.00 in Kawagoe vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $299, with Osaka 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,239 vs $1,371 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 22% less. 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: $464 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 $34.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,239 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,371 in Osaka – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,239 in Kawagoe versus $1,371 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 11% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.