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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,276 per month in Queretaro vs $1,126 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Queretaro vs $1,821 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,744 per month in Queretaro vs $2,516 in Saitama, rent included.

Queretaro costs about 13% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Queretaro and Saitama are more affordable than the global median – Queretaro 5% lower, Saitama 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 MX$170

$6.06 ¥970

62.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.14 MX$798

$33.98 ¥5,436

35.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 MX$139

$4.78 ¥764

68.41%

Cappuccino

$3.60 MX$62.3

$3.04 ¥487

18.42%

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

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.75 ¥120

74.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.51

$0.69 ¥111

37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MX$40.25

$2.02 ¥324

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MX$74.4

$3.13 ¥501

37.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.58 ¥252

-2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.28

$1.67 ¥268

60.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.74

$3.03 ¥485

-35.64%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$41.00

$2.24 ¥358

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 MX$140

$10.28 ¥1,644

-21.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 MX$169

$6.14 ¥983

59.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$15.59 ¥2,494

-17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$5.89 ¥942

-38.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.31

$1.34 ¥215

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.91 ¥626

-51.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.87

$5.90 ¥944

-69.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.84

$3.23 ¥516

-44.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.51

$1.71 ¥273

9.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.60

$1.35 ¥216

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.76

$0.88 ¥142

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 MX$73.4

$4.13 ¥660

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 MX$295

$8.49 ¥1,358

100.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.45

$1.84 ¥295

8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MX$57.2

$2.14 ¥342

54.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.32

$1.62 ¥259

-62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.90 MX$413

$56.5 ¥9,030

-57.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$3.44 ¥550

-9.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.36

$2.96 ¥473

-58.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MX$162

$22.04 ¥3,526

-57.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.66

$1.24 ¥198

5.65%

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

$20.0K MX$345.2K

$23.1K ¥3.7M

-13.55%

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

$20.6K MX$356.5K

$18.8K ¥3.0M

9.36%

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

$63.4 MX$1,097

$144 ¥23.0K

-55.95%

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

$24.19 MX$418

$19.50 ¥3,120

24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.06 MX$485

$33.90 ¥5,424

-17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.09 MX$849

$67.8 ¥10.8K

-27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$454

$14.10 ¥2,256

86.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 MX$105

$12.14 ¥1,943

-50.00%

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

$319 MX$5,526

$276 ¥44.2K

15.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,824 MX$83.4K

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-64.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 MX$889

$38.62 ¥6,178

33.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 MX$728

$27.40 ¥4,383

53.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 MX$1,722

$60.2 ¥9,630

65.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 MX$1,658

$69.5 ¥11.1K

37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$429 ¥68.6K

47.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MX$8,599

$255 ¥40.9K

94.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 MX$20.6K

$858 ¥137.2K

38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 MX$13.7K

$660 ¥105.6K

19.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 MX$40.4K

$4,524 ¥723.8K

-48.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 MX$23.3K

$2,701 ¥432.2K

-50.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 MX$16.0K

$1,535 ¥245.6K

-39.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

1.86

520.97%

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

Last update for Queretaro: May 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $633 in Queretaro versus $429 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 66% 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 $46.00 in Queretaro versus $34.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Queretaro vs $304 in Saitama – so Queretaro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 13% 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 $1,913 per month in Queretaro and $1,689 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.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Saitama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Queretaro and $276 in Saitama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $1,126, than in Queretaro at $1,276. 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 $1,126 versus $1,276 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.