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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Queretaro vs $1,127 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,993 per month in Queretaro vs $1,830 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,692 per month in Queretaro vs $2,533 in Saitama, rent included.

Queretaro costs about 15% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Queretaro and Saitama are more affordable than the global median – Queretaro 3% lower, Saitama 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 MX$165

$5.87 ¥954

60.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 MX$795

$34.39 ¥5,584

32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 MX$135

$4.98 ¥809

55.22%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$61.7

$3.08 ¥500

14.61%

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

$1.31 MX$22.95

$0.71 ¥115

84.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 MX$16.78

$0.74 ¥121

29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.91

$2.03 ¥329

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MX$74.8

$3.04 ¥494

40.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$28.09

$1.51 ¥245

6.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 MX$45.55

$1.66 ¥270

57.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.76

$2.94 ¥477

-34.35%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.64

$2.23 ¥362

4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$148

$10.20 ¥1,657

-17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 MX$165

$5.91 ¥959

59.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 MX$229

$15.52 ¥2,520

-15.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 MX$62.6

$5.95 ¥967

-39.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.48

$1.34 ¥218

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.28

$3.90 ¥634

-51.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.88

$5.91 ¥959

-71.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.23

$3.24 ¥526

-46.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 MX$32.11

$1.76 ¥285

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$1.34 ¥218

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.94

$0.81 ¥132

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.4

$4.06 ¥660

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 MX$298

$8.17 ¥1,327

108.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.93

$1.77 ¥287

9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$2.03 ¥329

60.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.67

$1.68 ¥273

-67.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.65 MX$414

$54.8 ¥8,898

-56.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.9

$3.44 ¥558

-5.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.60

$2.87 ¥465

-56.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.30 MX$163

$21.85 ¥3,548

-57.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.18 ¥191

6.78%

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

$19.7K MX$344.8K

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-16.07%

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

$20.5K MX$358.8K

$18.2K ¥3.0M

12.72%

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

$62.5 MX$1,093

$141 ¥22.9K

-55.67%

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

$23.75 MX$415

$19.47 ¥3,161

21.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.25 MX$494

$34.15 ¥5,545

-17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 MX$875

$69.2 ¥11.2K

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.33 MX$460

$13.76 ¥2,234

91.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 MX$107

$11.91 ¥1,934

-48.61%

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

$314 MX$5,483

$283 ¥46.0K

10.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,841 MX$84.7K

$13.8K ¥2.2M

-64.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MX$889

$37.81 ¥6,139

34.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 MX$733

$28.07 ¥4,557

49.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 MX$1,720

$59.9 ¥9,717

64.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 MX$1,720

$68.7 ¥11.1K

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$11.4K

$428 ¥69.5K

52.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MX$8,578

$259 ¥42.0K

89.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 MX$21.0K

$877 ¥142.4K

36.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 MX$14.2K

$656 ¥106.4K

23.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,327 MX$40.7K

$4,887 ¥793.4K

-52.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,318 MX$23.0K

$2,152 ¥349.4K

-38.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MX$16.0K

$1,474 ¥239.4K

-38.01%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Saitama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Queretaro versus $428 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 61% 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 $45.00 in Queretaro versus $34.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Queretaro vs $300 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 15% 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 $1,941 per month in Queretaro and $1,691 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 132% less in Saitama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $314 per month in Queretaro and $283 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 $1,127, than in Queretaro at $1,294. 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 $1,127 versus $1,294 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.