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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Saitama is about 12% cheaper than Queretaro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.06 ¥970

$9.85 MX$170

-38.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.98 ¥5,436

$46.14 MX$798

-26.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ¥764

$8.05 MX$139

-40.62%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥487

$3.60 MX$62.3

-15.56%

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

$0.75 ¥120

$1.31 MX$22.59

-42.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥111

$0.95 MX$16.51

-27.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ¥324

$2.33 MX$40.25

-13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ¥501

$4.30 MX$74.4

-27.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.54 MX$26.72

2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥268

$2.68 MX$46.28

-37.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ¥485

$1.95 MX$33.74

55.38%

Eggs

$2.24 ¥358

$2.37 MX$41.00

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 ¥1,644

$8.07 MX$140

27.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 ¥983

$9.79 MX$169

-37.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 ¥2,494

$12.86 MX$222

21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 ¥942

$3.60 MX$62.2

63.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥215

$1.46 MX$25.31

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 ¥626

$1.90 MX$32.87

105.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ¥944

$1.78 MX$30.87

231.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 ¥516

$1.78 MX$30.84

81.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 ¥273

$1.88 MX$32.51

-9.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥216

$1.25 MX$21.60

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥142

$1.14 MX$19.76

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ¥660

$4.24 MX$73.4

-2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 ¥1,358

$17.05 MX$295

-50.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥295

$1.99 MX$34.45

-7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥342

$3.31 MX$57.2

-35.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ¥259

$0.60 MX$10.32

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ¥9,030

$23.90 MX$413

136.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥550

$3.13 MX$54.2

9.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥473

$1.24 MX$21.36

138.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.04 ¥3,526

$9.39 MX$162

134.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.31 MX$22.66

-5.34%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$20.0K MX$345.2K

15.68%

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

$18.8K ¥3.0M

$20.6K MX$356.5K

-8.55%

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

$144 ¥23.0K

$63.4 MX$1,097

127.01%

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

$19.50 ¥3,120

$24.19 MX$418

-19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.90 ¥5,424

$28.06 MX$485

20.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 ¥10.8K

$49.09 MX$849

38.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥2,256

$26.23 MX$454

-46.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 ¥1,943

$6.07 MX$105

100.00%

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

$276 ¥44.2K

$319 MX$5,526

-13.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$4,824 MX$83.4K

183.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.62 ¥6,178

$51.4 MX$889

-24.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ¥4,383

$42.09 MX$728

-34.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 ¥9,630

$99.6 MX$1,722

-39.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 ¥11.1K

$95.8 MX$1,658

-27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥68.6K

$633 MX$10.9K

-32.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥40.9K

$497 MX$8,599

-48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 ¥137.2K

$1,190 MX$20.6K

-27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.6K

$792 MX$13.7K

-16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,524 ¥723.8K

$2,333 MX$40.4K

93.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,701 ¥432.2K

$1,347 MX$23.3K

100.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 ¥245.6K

$924 MX$16.0K

66.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.86

11.55

-83.90%

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

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Last update for Queretaro: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Saitama versus $633 in Queretaro. 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 $34.00 in Saitama versus $46.00 in Queretaro. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Saitama vs $293 in Queretaro – 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

Saitama vs Queretaro: 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 $1,689 per month in Saitama and $1,913 in Queretaro. 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 $276 per month in Saitama and $319 in Queretaro. 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.