Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Osaka versus $1,126 in Saitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,821 in Saitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,705 in Osaka versus $2,516 in Saitama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 22% more expensive than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 2% above, Saitama is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,112

$6.06 ¥969

14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.58 ¥5,531

$33.98 ¥5,435

1.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥797

$4.78 ¥764

4.18%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥532

$3.04 ¥487

9.54%

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

$1.08 ¥173

$0.75 ¥120

44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥122

$0.69 ¥111

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ¥438

$2.02 ¥324

35.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ¥695

$3.13 ¥501

38.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.58 ¥252

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥229

$1.67 ¥268

-14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$3.03 ¥485

60.40%

Eggs

$2.46 ¥393

$2.24 ¥358

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 ¥1,669

$10.28 ¥1,644

1.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ¥1,021

$6.14 ¥983

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 ¥2,977

$15.59 ¥2,494

19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥564

$5.89 ¥941

-40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥350

$1.34 ¥215

63.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ¥397

$3.91 ¥626

-36.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 ¥689

$5.90 ¥943

-26.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ¥271

$3.23 ¥516

-47.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.71 ¥273

-25.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.35 ¥216

2.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.88 ¥141

-3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥629

$4.13 ¥660

-4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,482

$8.49 ¥1,358

9.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥340

$1.84 ¥295

15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.14 ¥342

39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$1.62 ¥259

-0.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.32 ¥5,810

$56.5 ¥9,029

-35.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 ¥729

$3.44 ¥550

32.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 ¥530

$2.96 ¥473

11.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 ¥3,830

$22.04 ¥3,526

8.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.24 ¥198

-4.03%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

2.03%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.8K ¥3.0M

-10.28%

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

$135 ¥21.6K

$144 ¥23.0K

-6.36%

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

$27.60 ¥4,415

$19.50 ¥3,119

41.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 ¥4,858

$33.90 ¥5,423

-10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$67.8 ¥10.8K

-12.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 ¥3,262

$14.10 ¥2,255

44.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 ¥1,978

$12.14 ¥1,942

1.81%

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

$68.1 ¥10.9K

$276 ¥44.2K

-75.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ¥1.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 ¥7,050

$38.62 ¥6,177

14.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ¥4,713

$27.40 ¥4,382

7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥10.8K

$60.2 ¥9,629

11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

36.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥114.7K

$429 ¥68.6K

67.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 ¥77.2K

$255 ¥40.8K

89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 ¥209.6K

$858 ¥137.2K

52.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 ¥129.0K

$660 ¥105.6K

22.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,951 ¥951.8K

$4,524 ¥723.6K

31.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,055 ¥328.6K

$2,701 ¥432.1K

-23.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 ¥310.9K

$1,535 ¥245.5K

26.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.86

-2.69%

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

Last update for Osaka: May 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $717 in Osaka and $429 in Saitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 27% 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 Saitama. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $304, 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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Saitama differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,126 including rent). Saitama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 27% 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 $429 in Saitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Saitama runs roughly 55% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.1 in Osaka versus $276 in Saitama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,126 in Saitama versus $1,371 in Osaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saitama but tight or insufficient in Osaka. The gap between the two cities makes Saitama 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 Saitama 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 Saitama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.