Cost of Living Comparison Between Queretaro and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Queretaro and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,541 per month in Queretaro vs $983 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,316 per month in Queretaro vs $1,315 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,091 per month in Queretaro vs $1,646 in Saitama, rent included.

Queretaro costs about 57% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Queretaro sits 12% above the global median, while Saitama is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 MX$201

$5.61 ¥898

110.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 MX$1,130

$30.87 ¥4,945

115.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.71 MX$165

$4.75 ¥761

104.42%

Cappuccino

$3.91 MX$66.4

$2.98 ¥478

31.21%

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

$1.85 MX$31.39

$0.71 ¥114

160.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.64

$0.59 ¥94.9

96.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 MX$66.2

$2.48 ¥397

57.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 MX$101

$3.08 ¥494

92.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MX$33.77

$1.41 ¥226

41.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 MX$48.79

$1.72 ¥276

66.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.63

$2.77 ¥444

-22.02%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$49.04

$1.97 ¥316

46.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 MX$157

$11.85 ¥1,898

-21.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 MX$161

$5.34 ¥855

77.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.75 MX$251

$14.55 ¥2,332

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$5.55 ¥890

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.01

$2.20 ¥353

-22.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 MX$39.82

$2.77 ¥444

-15.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$35.81

$4.06 ¥651

-48.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.29

$2.51 ¥402

-17.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.15

$1.54 ¥246

26.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 MX$26.88

$1.26 ¥202

25.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$21.57

$0.72 ¥116

76.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.79 MX$81.4

$3.69 ¥591

29.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MX$326

$6.35 ¥1,018

202.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$40.69

$1.72 ¥275

38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$75.7

$1.99 ¥319

123.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$10.87

$3.35 ¥536

-80.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.02 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 MX$58.5

$3.11 ¥499

10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 MX$48.30

$2.46 ¥394

15.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.74 MX$200

$20.32 ¥3,256

-42.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.32

$1.05 ¥168

53.33%

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

$23.2K MX$394.3K

$21.6K ¥3.5M

7.61%

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

$25.9K MX$440.8K

$14.5K ¥2.3M

79.35%

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

$64.6 MX$1,098

$131 ¥21.0K

-50.67%

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

$29.23 MX$497

$17.94 ¥2,874

62.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.98 MX$459

$31.96 ¥5,120

-15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 MX$1,051

$61.9 ¥9,911

-0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.33 MX$448

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MX$135

$10.82 ¥1,733

-26.43%

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

$282 MX$4,799

$633 ¥101.4K

-55.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,412 MX$92.0K

$14.4K ¥2.3M

-62.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 MX$966

$34.98 ¥5,604

62.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.42 MX$806

$24.53 ¥3,930

93.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,813

$55.4 ¥8,875

92.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 MX$1,788

$61.4 ¥9,840

71.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 MX$15.7K

$409 ¥65.5K

126.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 MX$10.3K

$226 ¥36.1K

168.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 MX$27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 MX$15.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 MX$40.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 MX$23.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$16.1K

$1,517 ¥243.0K

-37.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.99

2.06

482.04%

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

Last update for Queretaro: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Queretaro versus $409 in Saitama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Saitama, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Queretaro versus $31.00 in Saitama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $278 – making Saitama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Queretaro vs Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Queretaro costs about 57% more than Saitama, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,312 per month in Queretaro and $1,475 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saitama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Queretaro and $31.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Queretaro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Queretaro at $1,541. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Queretaro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saitama costs $983 versus $1,541 in Queretaro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Saitama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Queretaro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.