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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,239 in Kawagoe.

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

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

Living in Osaka is roughly 11% more expensive than Kawagoe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.99 ¥1,119

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$34.40 ¥5,503

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$5.08 ¥812

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$2.89 ¥463

15.22%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$1.06 ¥169

1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.75 ¥120

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.04 ¥326

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$2.14 ¥342

103.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.75 ¥280

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.92 ¥307

-25.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$7.86 ¥1,257

-38.17%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$1.50 ¥239

64.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$12.05 ¥1,928

-13.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$12.15 ¥1,943

-47.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$16.81 ¥2,688

10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$7.69 ¥1,229

-54.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$2.55 ¥407

-14.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$4.60 ¥736

-46.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$4.60 ¥737

-6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.69 ¥590

-54.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$3.70 ¥592

-65.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$2.31 ¥370

-39.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$1.24 ¥198

-31.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.23 ¥676

-7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$8.25 ¥1,319

12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$2.57 ¥411

-17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$3.38 ¥541

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.58 ¥253

1.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$55.1 ¥8,805

-34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.44 ¥550

32.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.98 ¥477

11.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$20.79 ¥3,325

15.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.20 ¥192

-0.83%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$24.0K ¥3.8M

-2.06%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.0K ¥2.7M

-0.42%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$84.9 ¥13.6K

58.78%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$10.57 ¥1,691

161.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$17.16 ¥2,744

76.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$74.2 ¥11.9K

-20.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$14.04 ¥2,245

45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$11.34 ¥1,814

8.99%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$281 ¥45.0K

-75.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$42.74 ¥6,837

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$30.01 ¥4,801

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.1 ¥9,620

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$96.0 ¥15.4K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$464 ¥74.2K

54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$325 ¥51.9K

48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$865 ¥138.4K

51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$660 ¥105.6K

22.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$2,468 ¥394.8K

141.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,363 ¥378.0K

-13.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,589 ¥254.1K

22.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-9.50%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $464 in Kawagoe. 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: $35.00 in Osaka vs $34.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $395, 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

Osaka vs Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Kawagoe differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,239 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $717 in Osaka versus $464 in Kawagoe. 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 $1,371 per month in Osaka versus $1,239 in Kawagoe – 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, Osaka and Kawagoe 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.