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: $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,469 in Sapporo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Osaka versus $2,170 in Sapporo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Osaka versus $2,871 in Sapporo.

Living in Osaka costs roughly 5% less than in Sapporo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Osaka 2% above, Sapporo 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 ¥1,039

$6.43 ¥1,004

3.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.08 ¥5,010

$31.77 ¥4,962

0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥819

$6.34 ¥990

-17.19%

Cappuccino

$3.05 ¥476

$4.95 ¥773

-38.38%

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

$1.41 ¥220

$1.80 ¥281

-21.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥109

$1.04 ¥163

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ¥436

$4.32 ¥674

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ¥605

$5.76 ¥899

-32.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.65 ¥258

-10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 ¥205

$1.44 ¥225

-9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 ¥858

$4.18 ¥652

31.34%

Eggs

$2.07 ¥323

$1.77 ¥276

16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 ¥1,536

$9.54 ¥1,490

3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 ¥1,511

$7.21 ¥1,125

34.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 ¥2,902

$26.04 ¥4,067

-28.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ¥536

$3.17 ¥495

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥319

$3.16 ¥494

-35.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ¥332

$3.17 ¥495

-32.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$4.20 ¥655

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ¥250

$2.13 ¥333

-24.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ¥189

$1.74 ¥272

-30.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ¥212

$1.53 ¥238

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥126

$0.47 ¥73.1

70.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥625

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$8.21 ¥1,282

15.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.93 ¥301

3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$3.17 ¥494

0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ¥220

$1.63 ¥255

-13.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.84 ¥5,129

$49.13 ¥7,673

-33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ¥614

$4.13 ¥645

-4.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ¥500

$1.72 ¥269

86.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.17 ¥3,462

$16.36 ¥2,555

35.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.08 ¥168

4.63%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

0.04%

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

$15.6K ¥2.4M

$14.9K ¥2.3M

4.87%

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

$140 ¥21.8K

$345 ¥53.8K

-59.45%

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

$24.68 ¥3,855

$26.14 ¥4,083

-5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 ¥4,847

$48.69 ¥7,603

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ¥8,290

$51.2 ¥7,991

3.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ¥2,973

$3.33 ¥520

471.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,920

$12.23 ¥1,910

0.57%

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

$529 ¥82.6K

$326 ¥50.9K

62.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

28.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.93 ¥7,642

$38.77 ¥6,054

26.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ¥4,974

$26.09 ¥4,074

22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ¥11.9K

$48.71 ¥7,607

56.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 ¥14.7K

$117 ¥18.3K

-19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥113.7K

$459 ¥71.7K

58.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ¥79.9K

$282 ¥44.1K

81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ¥273.7K

$844 ¥131.7K

107.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 ¥121.5K

$657 ¥102.7K

18.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,376 ¥995.7K

$2,228 ¥348.0K

186.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,959 ¥305.9K

$1,616 ¥252.3K

21.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,342 ¥365.7K

$2,039 ¥318.5K

14.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

2.31

-4.33%

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

Last update for Osaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Osaka and $459 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: $32.00 in Osaka vs $32.00 in Sapporo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $320 per month, with Osaka cheaper across the board.

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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,469 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Osaka, 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: $728 in Osaka versus $459 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 50% less than in Sapporo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Osaka versus $326 in Sapporo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,393 in Osaka versus $1,469 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 5% less than in Sapporo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.