Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,126 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,821 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,516 in Saitama, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 50% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Saitama is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$6.06 ¥969

33.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$33.98 ¥5,435

42.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$4.78 ¥764

19.04%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.04 ¥487

17.43%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$0.75 ¥120

68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.69 ¥111

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.02 ¥324

110.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.13 ¥501

69.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.67 ¥268

-4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$3.03 ¥485

75.58%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.24 ¥358

7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.28 ¥1,644

56.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.14 ¥983

27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.59 ¥2,494

48.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.89 ¥941

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$1.34 ¥215

91.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$3.91 ¥626

46.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$5.90 ¥943

1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.23 ¥516

-0.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.71 ¥273

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.35 ¥216

9.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.88 ¥141

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.13 ¥660

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$8.49 ¥1,358

10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.84 ¥295

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.14 ¥342

34.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.62 ¥259

-8.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.5 ¥9,029

50.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.44 ¥550

1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.96 ¥473

-3.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$22.04 ¥3,526

21.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.24 ¥198

-1.61%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

1.62%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.8K ¥3.0M

-7.50%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$144 ¥23.0K

13.61%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$19.50 ¥3,119

36.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.90 ¥5,423

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$67.8 ¥10.8K

1.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.10 ¥2,255

42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.14 ¥1,942

7.58%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$276 ¥44.2K

83.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

14.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$38.62 ¥6,177

55.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$27.40 ¥4,382

47.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.2 ¥9,629

7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$429 ¥68.6K

155.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$255 ¥40.8K

133.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$858 ¥137.2K

204.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$660 ¥105.6K

102.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,524 ¥723.6K

138.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,701 ¥432.1K

84.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$1,535 ¥245.5K

62.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.86

-7.53%

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

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo 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 63% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Saitama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $304 – making Saitama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Tokyo vs Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo 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 50% less in Saitama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo 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 Tokyo at $1,684. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.