Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sapporo Cost of Living Comparison Between Osaka and Sapporo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,480 in Sapporo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Osaka versus $2,109 in Sapporo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Osaka versus $2,738 in Sapporo.

Living in Osaka costs roughly 9% less than in Sapporo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 1% above, Sapporo 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,113

$9.61 ¥1,539

-27.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 ¥5,574

$27.68 ¥4,430

25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥792

$5.28 ¥846

-6.25%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$3.77 ¥603

-11.94%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.97 ¥155

12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥116

$0.83 ¥133

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥447

$3.50 ¥561

-20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 ¥699

$6.31 ¥1,010

-30.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥254

$1.50 ¥241

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥236

$1.34 ¥214

9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 ¥744

$7.23 ¥1,158

-35.68%

Eggs

$2.36 ¥378

$1.84 ¥295

28.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ¥1,665

$8.47 ¥1,356

22.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,040

$7.07 ¥1,133

-8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 ¥3,083

$20.76 ¥3,324

-7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 ¥582

$3.54 ¥567

2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥335

$2.98 ¥478

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 ¥395

$4.18 ¥670

-40.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 ¥696

$3.91 ¥625

11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ¥264

$2.80 ¥448

-41.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥208

$2.18 ¥349

-40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.53 ¥245

-12.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥135

$0.91 ¥146

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥609

$3.12 ¥499

22.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 ¥1,473

$8.00 ¥1,280

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥332

$2.03 ¥325

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ¥477

$3.42 ¥547

-12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.68 ¥269

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.89 ¥5,746

$52.6 ¥8,416

-31.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥718

$4.76 ¥761

-5.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 ¥542

$1.71 ¥273

98.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.90 ¥3,826

$20.98 ¥3,358

13.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.22 ¥196

0.82%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$35.2K ¥5.6M

-33.50%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

2.11%

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

$130 ¥20.9K

$310 ¥49.7K

-57.97%

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

$27.23 ¥4,358

$28.23 ¥4,519

-3.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.85 ¥4,938

$42.91 ¥6,869

-28.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,374

$54.3 ¥8,697

7.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ¥3,271

$11.62 ¥1,861

75.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 ¥1,981

$13.01 ¥2,082

-4.84%

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

$69.4 ¥11.1K

$274 ¥43.8K

-74.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$11.0K ¥1.8M

-5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.94 ¥7,034

$41.49 ¥6,642

5.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 ¥4,743

$28.08 ¥4,495

5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥11.0K

$51.0 ¥8,164

34.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ¥15.2K

$126 ¥20.2K

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ¥117.3K

$530 ¥84.8K

38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥74.8K

$306 ¥49.0K

52.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ¥204.1K

$736 ¥117.8K

73.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥131.7K

$557 ¥89.2K

47.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,986 ¥958.2K

$2,219 ¥355.2K

169.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,086 ¥333.9K

$1,575 ¥252.1K

32.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,989 ¥318.4K

$1,726 ¥276.4K

15.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

1.83

-1.09%

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

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Osaka and $530 in Sapporo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Osaka vs $28.00 in Sapporo. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $322, with Osaka cheaper for home cooking.

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

Osaka vs Sapporo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osaka and Sapporo differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,352 vs $1,480 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Osaka pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Osaka versus $530 in Sapporo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 46% less than in Sapporo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $69.4 in Osaka versus $274 in Sapporo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,480 in Sapporo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Osaka but tight or insufficient in Sapporo. The gap between the two cities makes Osaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Osaka and Sapporo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Osaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Sapporo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.