Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Sapporo Cost of Living Comparison Between Okinawa and Sapporo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Okinawa vs $1,462 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Okinawa vs $2,145 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,052 per month in Okinawa vs $2,829 in Sapporo, rent included.

Okinawa and Sapporo have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Okinawa and Sapporo sit above the global median – Okinawa by 9%, Sapporo by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.24 ¥1,317

$9.67 ¥1,547

-14.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.98 ¥6,554

$27.36 ¥4,376

49.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ¥942

$5.35 ¥856

10.09%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥552

$3.68 ¥588

-6.25%

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

$1.38 ¥220

$0.99 ¥158

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥136

$0.78 ¥125

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.51 ¥561

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ¥782

$6.32 ¥1,010

-22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥308

$1.58 ¥253

21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ¥359

$1.34 ¥214

67.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 ¥748

$7.30 ¥1,167

-35.89%

Eggs

$2.02 ¥324

$1.95 ¥311

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ¥2,593

$8.83 ¥1,413

83.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 ¥1,779

$7.43 ¥1,188

49.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.13 ¥4,180

$20.71 ¥3,312

26.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 ¥831

$3.49 ¥558

48.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 ¥426

$2.96 ¥474

-10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$4.28 ¥685

-27.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ¥956

$4.03 ¥645

48.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 ¥569

$2.88 ¥461

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 ¥446

$2.20 ¥352

26.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.51 ¥241

3.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.90 ¥144

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ¥758

$2.98 ¥477

59.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 ¥975

$8.24 ¥1,318

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥291

$2.03 ¥325

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$3.50 ¥559

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥267

$1.74 ¥279

-4.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.72 ¥5,553

$51.0 ¥8,157

-31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ¥658

$4.53 ¥724

-9.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 ¥581

$1.69 ¥270

114.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.69 ¥2,030

$20.49 ¥3,278

-38.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.22 ¥196

-2.46%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$34.8K ¥5.6M

-32.36%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-0.15%

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

$174 ¥27.9K

$317 ¥50.7K

-45.07%

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

$27.88 ¥4,459

$27.99 ¥4,476

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.40 ¥5,023

$43.87 ¥7,017

-28.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ¥8,365

$54.7 ¥8,748

-4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.99 ¥1,117

$11.32 ¥1,811

-38.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 ¥1,991

$13.29 ¥2,126

-6.32%

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

$344 ¥55.0K

$272 ¥43.5K

26.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$11.3K ¥1.8M

21.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥7,762

$42.04 ¥6,723

15.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 ¥4,671

$28.24 ¥4,517

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥11.4K

$51.8 ¥8,288

37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$127 ¥20.2K

-28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ¥70.2K

$527 ¥84.2K

-16.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥64.2K

$306 ¥48.9K

31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 ¥152.1K

$759 ¥121.5K

25.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 ¥117.0K

$560 ¥89.6K

30.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,781 ¥1.4M

$2,195 ¥351.0K

300.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ¥191.4K

$1,588 ¥254.0K

-24.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 ¥290.7K

$1,749 ¥279.7K

3.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

9.29%

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

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Okinawa versus $527 in Sapporo. 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 4% higher in Okinawa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa versus $27.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $328 – making Sapporo 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

Okinawa vs Sapporo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,188 per month in Okinawa and $2,193 in Sapporo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Okinawa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Okinawa and $27.00 in Sapporo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Okinawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,459, than in Sapporo at $1,462. In Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sapporo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Okinawa – 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 Okinawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sapporo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.