A surface acoustic wave filter has one or more surface acoustic wave filter elements having at least two comb-shaped electrode portions disposed along a propagation direction of a surface acoustic wave and first and second balanced terminals connected to the comb-shaped electrode portions provided on a piezoelectric substrate. The surface acoustic wave filter is housed in a packaging member such that the difference in capacitance between electrodes on the piezoelectric substrate, which are connected to the first and second balanced terminals, is greatly reduced.