Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $983 in Saitama versus $1,346 in Osaka.

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

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

Living in Saitama costs roughly 27% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 ¥872

$6.13 ¥954

-8.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.87 ¥4,804

$30.75 ¥4,786

0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥739

$4.81 ¥748

-1.25%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ¥464

$2.93 ¥456

1.71%

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

$0.71 ¥111

$1.43 ¥223

-50.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥92.2

$0.69 ¥108

-14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ¥386

$2.63 ¥409

-5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥480

$3.64 ¥567

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.43 ¥222

-1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.28 ¥199

34.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 ¥432

$5.25 ¥817

-47.24%

Eggs

$1.97 ¥307

$2.10 ¥327

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 ¥1,844

$9.80 ¥1,525

20.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ¥831

$9.18 ¥1,429

-41.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 ¥2,265

$18.09 ¥2,816

-19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 ¥864

$3.38 ¥526

64.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ¥343

$1.91 ¥298

15.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 ¥431

$1.98 ¥308

39.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ¥633

$3.89 ¥605

4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$1.54 ¥239

62.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥239

$1.17 ¥182

31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ¥196

$1.29 ¥200

-2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥112

$0.81 ¥127

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥574

$3.84 ¥597

-3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ¥989

$9.50 ¥1,479

-33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥268

$1.87 ¥290

-8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ¥310

$3.22 ¥502

-38.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 ¥521

$1.36 ¥212

146.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.99 ¥4,979

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ¥485

$3.77 ¥587

-17.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 ¥382

$3.04 ¥473

-19.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.32 ¥3,163

$21.01 ¥3,270

-3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥164

$1.09 ¥170

-3.67%

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

$21.6K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ¥3.3M

0.83%

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

$14.5K ¥2.3M

$15.1K ¥2.4M

-4.49%

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

$131 ¥20.4K

$136 ¥21.2K

-3.80%

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

$17.94 ¥2,792

$23.92 ¥3,722

-25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 ¥4,974

$30.63 ¥4,767

4.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 ¥9,629

$48.60 ¥7,563

27.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.90 ¥2,786

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 ¥1,683

$12.04 ¥1,874

-10.13%

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

$633 ¥98.6K

$520 ¥80.9K

21.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

9.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.98 ¥5,444

$44.15 ¥6,872

-20.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 ¥3,818

$29.71 ¥4,624

-17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ¥8,622

$72.6 ¥11.3K

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ¥9,560

$88.8 ¥13.8K

-30.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥63.7K

$699 ¥108.8K

-41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ¥35.1K

$507 ¥78.9K

-55.49%

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)

$1,517 ¥236.1K

$2,245 ¥349.4K

-32.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.06

2.21

-6.79%

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

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Last update for Osaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Saitama and $699 in Osaka. 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 Saitama vs $31.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $298 per month, with Saitama cheaper across the board.

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

Saitama vs Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saitama and Osaka differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $1,346 including rent). Saitama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Osaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Saitama versus $699 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $633 in Saitama versus $520 in Osaka. 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, Saitama and Osaka 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.