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: $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Kawagoe versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,722 in Kawagoe versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Kawagoe costs roughly 5% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kawagoe is 6% below, Osaka is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 ¥1,118

$7.07 ¥1,149

-2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.69 ¥5,638

$34.92 ¥5,676

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥827

$4.76 ¥773

6.93%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ¥466

$3.22 ¥523

-10.87%

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

$1.01 ¥165

$1.10 ¥179

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥120

$0.71 ¥115

4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.84 ¥462

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥347

$4.21 ¥683

-49.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥272

$1.54 ¥250

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥321

$1.43 ¥232

37.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.86 ¥1,277

$4.62 ¥751

70.13%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥245

$2.44 ¥396

-38.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 ¥2,002

$10.56 ¥1,717

16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 ¥1,990

$6.57 ¥1,068

86.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 ¥2,696

$18.71 ¥3,041

-11.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.76 ¥1,261

$3.69 ¥599

110.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ¥417

$2.11 ¥343

21.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ¥711

$2.47 ¥401

77.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 ¥730

$4.54 ¥738

-1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 ¥587

$1.64 ¥267

120.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥597

$1.30 ¥212

182.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.37 ¥223

0.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ¥195

$0.87 ¥142

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ¥701

$3.87 ¥629

11.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ¥1,274

$9.15 ¥1,487

-14.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 ¥404

$2.10 ¥342

18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥560

$2.87 ¥466

19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$1.67 ¥271

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ¥9,124

$35.74 ¥5,808

57.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥572

$4.62 ¥751

-23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥468

$3.27 ¥532

-11.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.84 ¥3,386

$23.47 ¥3,815

-11.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥185

$1.18 ¥192

-3.39%

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

$24.3K ¥4.0M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

6.58%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-0.39%

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

$82.3 ¥13.4K

$134 ¥21.8K

-38.69%

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

$10.55 ¥1,715

$27.44 ¥4,459

-61.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 ¥2,803

$30.41 ¥4,942

-43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ¥11.9K

$57.8 ¥9,399

27.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥2,292

$21.18 ¥3,442

-33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 ¥1,891

$12.32 ¥2,002

-5.60%

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

$276 ¥44.9K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

305.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ¥2.2M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

27.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.49 ¥6,906

$44.49 ¥7,231

-4.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 ¥4,853

$29.52 ¥4,798

1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 ¥9,618

$66.7 ¥10.8K

-11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 ¥15.9K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.4K

$727 ¥118.1K

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ¥52.5K

$476 ¥77.4K

-32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ¥141.8K

$1,301 ¥211.4K

-32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥106.9K

$827 ¥134.4K

-20.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,500 ¥406.2K

$5,911 ¥960.6K

-57.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 ¥344.0K

$2,051 ¥333.3K

3.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,550 ¥251.9K

$1,865 ¥303.1K

-16.89%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kawagoe and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 20% 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: $35.00 in Kawagoe vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $300, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,330 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $476 in Kawagoe versus $727 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 $35.00 versus $35.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Kawagoe versus $1,330 in Osaka – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,330 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 6% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.