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: $1,330 in Osaka versus $1,127 in Saitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,038 in Osaka versus $1,830 in Saitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Osaka versus $2,533 in Saitama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 18% more expensive than in Saitama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Osaka is 0% above, Saitama is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ¥1,149

$5.87 ¥955

20.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.92 ¥5,676

$34.39 ¥5,590

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ¥773

$4.98 ¥810

-4.42%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥523

$3.08 ¥500

4.55%

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

$1.10 ¥179

$0.71 ¥115

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥115

$0.74 ¥121

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 ¥462

$2.03 ¥329

39.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ¥683

$3.04 ¥495

38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥250

$1.51 ¥245

1.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.66 ¥270

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 ¥751

$2.94 ¥477

57.14%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥396

$2.23 ¥363

9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ¥1,717

$10.20 ¥1,658

3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ¥1,068

$5.91 ¥960

11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 ¥3,041

$15.52 ¥2,523

20.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 ¥599

$5.95 ¥968

-37.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ¥343

$1.34 ¥218

57.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥401

$3.90 ¥634

-36.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 ¥738

$5.91 ¥960

-23.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥267

$3.24 ¥526

-49.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥212

$1.76 ¥286

-26.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥223

$1.34 ¥218

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.81 ¥132

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ¥629

$4.06 ¥660

-4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 ¥1,487

$8.17 ¥1,328

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥342

$1.77 ¥287

18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.03 ¥329

41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥271

$1.68 ¥273

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.74 ¥5,808

$54.8 ¥8,907

-34.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ¥751

$3.44 ¥558

34.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 ¥532

$2.87 ¥466

13.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 ¥3,815

$21.85 ¥3,552

7.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥192

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-2.94%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$18.2K ¥3.0M

-5.07%

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

$134 ¥21.8K

$141 ¥22.9K

-4.74%

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

$27.44 ¥4,459

$19.47 ¥3,164

40.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 ¥4,942

$34.15 ¥5,551

-10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ¥9,399

$69.2 ¥11.2K

-16.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.18 ¥3,442

$13.76 ¥2,236

53.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥2,002

$11.91 ¥1,936

3.44%

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

$68.2 ¥11.1K

$283 ¥46.1K

-75.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ¥1.7M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-23.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.49 ¥7,231

$37.81 ¥6,145

17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ¥4,798

$28.07 ¥4,562

5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ¥10.8K

$59.9 ¥9,727

11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ¥15.7K

$68.7 ¥11.2K

40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ¥118.1K

$428 ¥69.6K

69.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥77.4K

$259 ¥42.0K

84.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ¥211.4K

$877 ¥142.6K

48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 ¥134.4K

$656 ¥106.5K

26.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 ¥960.6K

$4,887 ¥794.2K

20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 ¥333.3K

$2,152 ¥349.8K

-4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 ¥303.1K

$1,474 ¥239.6K

26.50%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saitama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Osaka and $428 in Saitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 26% 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 $300 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

Osaka vs Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Saitama differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $1,127 including rent). Saitama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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: $727 in Osaka versus $428 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 53% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $68.2 in Osaka versus $283 in Saitama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,127 in Saitama versus $1,330 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 18% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.