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: $1,346 in Osaka versus $983 in Saitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Osaka versus $1,315 in Saitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,606 in Osaka versus $1,646 in Saitama.

Living in Osaka is roughly 37% more expensive than in Saitama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osaka 2% lower, Saitama 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ¥954

$5.61 ¥872

9.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ¥4,786

$30.87 ¥4,804

-0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ¥748

$4.75 ¥739

1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥456

$2.98 ¥464

-1.68%

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

$1.43 ¥223

$0.71 ¥111

101.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥108

$0.59 ¥92.2

16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ¥409

$2.48 ¥386

6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ¥567

$3.08 ¥480

18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥222

$1.41 ¥220

1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥199

$1.72 ¥268

-25.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 ¥817

$2.77 ¥432

89.53%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥327

$1.97 ¥307

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,525

$11.85 ¥1,844

-17.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ¥1,429

$5.34 ¥831

71.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 ¥2,816

$14.55 ¥2,265

24.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ¥526

$5.55 ¥864

-39.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ¥298

$2.20 ¥343

-13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥308

$2.77 ¥431

-28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥605

$4.06 ¥633

-4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$2.51 ¥391

-38.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥182

$1.54 ¥239

-24.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ¥200

$1.26 ¥196

2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.72 ¥112

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥597

$3.69 ¥574

4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥1,479

$6.35 ¥989

49.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥290

$1.72 ¥268

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$1.99 ¥310

61.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ¥212

$3.35 ¥521

-59.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥587

$3.11 ¥485

21.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.46 ¥382

23.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.01 ¥3,270

$20.32 ¥3,163

3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥170

$1.05 ¥164

3.81%

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

$21.4K ¥3.3M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-0.83%

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

$15.1K ¥2.4M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

4.70%

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

$136 ¥21.2K

$131 ¥20.4K

3.95%

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

$23.92 ¥3,722

$17.94 ¥2,792

33.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.63 ¥4,767

$31.96 ¥4,974

-4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.60 ¥7,563

$61.9 ¥9,629

-21.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 ¥1,874

$10.82 ¥1,683

11.28%

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

$520 ¥80.9K

$633 ¥98.6K

-17.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

-8.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 ¥6,872

$34.98 ¥5,444

26.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.71 ¥4,624

$24.53 ¥3,818

21.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥11.3K

$55.4 ¥8,622

31.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ¥13.8K

$61.4 ¥9,560

44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ¥108.8K

$409 ¥63.7K

70.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ¥78.9K

$226 ¥35.1K

124.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 ¥261.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ¥118.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,636 ¥877.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 ¥283.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,245 ¥349.4K

$1,517 ¥236.1K

48.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.06

7.28%

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

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Osaka and $409 in Saitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 48% 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: $31.00 in Osaka vs $31.00 in Saitama. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $278, with Saitama 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 37% in total monthly costs ($1,346 vs $983 including rent). Saitama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $699 in Osaka versus $409 in Saitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $520 in Osaka versus $633 in Saitama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saitama – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $31.00 in Osaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $983 in Saitama versus $1,346 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 37% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.