Cost of living comparison
Saitama is 12.9% cheaper than Japan overall.
- Restaurants
-
pay 14.2% less in Saitama
- Groceries
-
pay 11.1% less in Saitama
- Transportation
-
pay 3.3% less in Saitama
- Housing
-
pay 15.8% less in Saitama
- Childcare
-
pay 1.2% less in Saitama
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 8.5% less in Saitama
- Clothing
-
pay 36.0% less in Saitama
Expenses including clothing, housing, restaurants, groceries, entertainment and sports, and transportation are lower in Saitama.
If you lived in Saitama instead of Japan, you would:
pay 14.2% less for restaurants
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$6.44
¥936
|
$6.02
¥876
|
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$4.94
¥718
|
$4.56
¥663
|
|
| Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.97
¥141
|
$0.68
¥99
|
|
| Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.73
¥107
|
$0.64
¥92
|
|
pay 11.1% less for groceries
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$1.52
¥221
|
$1.54
¥223
|
|
| Local cheese (8 oz) |
$5.72
¥832
|
$4.74
¥689
|
|
| Milk (1 gallon) |
$5.46
¥793
|
$5.45
¥793
|
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$2.02
¥293
|
$2.15
¥312
|
|
| Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$2.73
¥396
|
$1.96
¥284
|
|
| Apples (1 lb) |
$2.17
¥316
|
$2.29
¥333
|
|
| Bananas (1 lb) |
$1.02
¥149
|
$0.58
¥85
|
|
| Oranges (1 lb) |
$1.64
¥239
|
$1.34
¥195
|
|
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$2.04
¥296
|
$2.09
¥304
|
|
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
$1.26
¥184
|
$1.28
¥186
|
|
| Onions (1 lb) |
$1.08
¥157
|
$0.74
¥107
|
|
pay 3.3% less for transportation
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$4.22
¥614
|
$4.17
¥606
|
|
| Monthly public transit pass |
$57.82
¥8,405
|
?? | |
| New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$22,042.19
¥3,204,394
|
$21,767.76
¥3,164,499
|
|
| Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$25.42
¥3,696
|
$23.53
¥3,420
|
|
pay 15.8% less for housing
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$31.09
¥4,520
|
$31.92
¥4,640
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$500.38
¥72,743
|
$390.80
¥56,813
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$325.42
¥47,308
|
$211.69
¥30,774
|
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$113.04
¥16,433
|
$102.87
¥14,954
|
|
pay 1.2% less for childcare
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$288.10
¥41,883
|
$264.88
¥38,507
|
|
| Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$11,095.30
¥1,612,985
|
$11,724.11
¥1,704,398
|
|
pay 8.5% less for entertainment and sports
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$2.71
¥394
|
$1.95
¥284
|
|
| Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$2.78
¥404
|
$2.71
¥395
|
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$3.98
¥579
|
$3.91
¥568
|
|
| Monthly membership at local gym |
$57.72
¥8,390
|
?? | |
| Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$11.97
¥1,741
|
$11.72
¥1,704
|
|
pay 36.0% less for clothing
|
Japan
|
Saitama
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$40.54
¥5,894
|
$21.49
¥3,125
|
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$26.82
¥3,899
|
$19.54
¥2,841
|
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$54.08
¥7,862
|
$48.85
¥7,102
|
|
| Men's business shoes (leather) |
$81.66
¥11,872
|
$32.57
¥4,734
|
|
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