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: $1,127 in Saitama versus $1,330 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,830 in Saitama versus $2,038 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Saitama versus $2,746 in Osaka.

Living in Saitama costs roughly 15% less than in Osaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saitama is 16% below, Osaka is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 ¥955

$7.07 ¥1,149

-16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.39 ¥5,590

$34.92 ¥5,676

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥810

$4.76 ¥773

4.62%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥500

$3.22 ¥523

-4.35%

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

$0.71 ¥115

$1.10 ¥179

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥121

$0.71 ¥115

4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ¥329

$2.84 ¥462

-28.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥495

$4.21 ¥683

-27.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.54 ¥250

-1.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥270

$1.43 ¥232

16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 ¥477

$4.62 ¥751

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥363

$2.44 ¥396

-8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ¥1,658

$10.56 ¥1,717

-3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 ¥960

$6.57 ¥1,068

-10.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 ¥2,523

$18.71 ¥3,041

-17.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥968

$3.69 ¥599

61.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥218

$2.11 ¥343

-36.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 ¥634

$2.47 ¥401

57.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥960

$4.54 ¥738

30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥526

$1.64 ¥267

97.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 ¥286

$1.30 ¥212

35.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥218

$1.37 ¥223

-2.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.87 ¥142

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥660

$3.87 ¥629

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ¥1,328

$9.15 ¥1,487

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥287

$2.10 ¥342

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥329

$2.87 ¥466

-29.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥273

$1.67 ¥271

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,907

$35.74 ¥5,808

53.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥558

$4.62 ¥751

-25.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.27 ¥532

-12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.85 ¥3,552

$23.47 ¥3,815

-6.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥192

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

3.03%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

5.34%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$134 ¥21.8K

4.98%

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

$19.47 ¥3,164

$27.44 ¥4,459

-29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 ¥5,551

$30.41 ¥4,942

12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ¥11.2K

$57.8 ¥9,399

19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,236

$21.18 ¥3,442

-35.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 ¥1,936

$12.32 ¥2,002

-3.33%

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

$283 ¥46.1K

$68.2 ¥11.1K

315.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$10.6K ¥1.7M

30.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.81 ¥6,145

$44.49 ¥7,231

-15.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ¥4,562

$29.52 ¥4,798

-4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ¥9,727

$66.7 ¥10.8K

-10.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ¥11.2K

$96.8 ¥15.7K

-29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ¥69.6K

$727 ¥118.1K

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥42.0K

$476 ¥77.4K

-45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 ¥142.6K

$1,301 ¥211.4K

-32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥106.5K

$827 ¥134.4K

-20.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,887 ¥794.2K

$5,911 ¥960.6K

-17.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,152 ¥349.8K

$2,051 ¥333.3K

4.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,474 ¥239.6K

$1,865 ¥303.1K

-20.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.86

1.81

2.76%

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

Last update for Saitama: July 12, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Saitama and $727 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 26% 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: $34.00 in Saitama vs $35.00 in Osaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $300 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,127 vs $1,330 including rent). Saitama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% 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: $428 in Saitama versus $727 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Saitama runs roughly 53% less than in Osaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $283 in Saitama versus $68.2 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,127 in Saitama versus $1,330 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 18% less than in Osaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.