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: $1,421 in Osaka versus $1,221 in Kawagoe.

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

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

Living in Osaka is roughly 16% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 ¥982

$6.63 ¥1,017

-3.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 ¥5,059

$42.66 ¥6,546

-22.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ¥804

$5.12 ¥786

2.34%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥452

$3.50 ¥538

-15.71%

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

$1.42 ¥218

$0.93 ¥143

52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥114

$0.50 ¥77.4

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 ¥410

$1.93 ¥296

38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 ¥612

$2.81 ¥431

41.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥226

$1.19 ¥183

23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ¥212

$1.29 ¥198

6.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 ¥860

$3.79 ¥581

47.76%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥322

$2.13 ¥327

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ¥1,531

$6.34 ¥973

57.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,464

$6.04 ¥927

57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥2,871

$14.80 ¥2,271

26.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 ¥532

$5.95 ¥912

-41.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ¥303

$2.33 ¥358

-15.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥314

$2.91 ¥446

-29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ¥616

$3.23 ¥495

24.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥245

$2.71 ¥416

-40.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ¥183

$1.92 ¥295

-38.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥214

$1.27 ¥195

9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥130

$0.77 ¥118

10.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥609

$3.99 ¥612

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,456

$4.89 ¥750

94.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥292

$1.86 ¥285

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ¥503

$2.09 ¥321

56.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥214

$3.09 ¥474

-55.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 ¥5,040

$162 ¥24.8K

-79.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ¥582

$3.31 ¥508

14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.34 ¥512

$2.56 ¥393

30.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 ¥3,351

$21.09 ¥3,236

3.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥168

$1.11 ¥170

-0.90%

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

$22.6K ¥3.5M

$16.1K ¥2.5M

40.49%

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

$15.2K ¥2.3M

$13.1K ¥2.0M

16.01%

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

$141 ¥21.6K

$137 ¥21.0K

2.97%

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

$25.14 ¥3,857

$22.78 ¥3,496

10.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 ¥4,788

$33.01 ¥5,064

-5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ¥8,341

$44.88 ¥6,887

21.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 ¥2,868

$32.59 ¥5,000

-42.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,900

$11.43 ¥1,754

8.31%

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

$526 ¥80.7K

$325 ¥49.9K

61.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.0M

$6,361 ¥975.9K

106.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.05 ¥7,526

$32.02 ¥4,913

53.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.73 ¥4,869

$33.49 ¥5,139

-5.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ¥11.4K

$45.80 ¥7,027

62.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ¥14.1K

$97.2 ¥14.9K

-5.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥110.0K

$419 ¥64.3K

71.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 ¥80.4K

$281 ¥43.2K

86.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ¥267.9K

$874 ¥134.1K

99.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 ¥122.5K

$609 ¥93.4K

31.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 ¥977.8K

$2,546 ¥390.6K

150.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,960 ¥300.7K

$1,288 ¥197.7K

52.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 ¥358.5K

$1,638 ¥251.3K

42.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

1.6

38.12%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $419 in Kawagoe. 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: $33.00 in Osaka vs $43.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $263, 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

Osaka vs Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 43% higher in Osaka, 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 $419 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 $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 $1,421 per month in Osaka versus $1,221 in Kawagoe – 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, 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 16% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.