Cost of Living Comparison Between Sagamihara and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sagamihara and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Sagamihara vs $1,653 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Sagamihara vs $2,585 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,629 per month in Sagamihara vs $3,517 in Tokyo, rent included.

Sagamihara is about 28% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sagamihara sits 13% below the global median, while Tokyo is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 ¥1,318

$7.31 ¥1,137

15.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.94 ¥4,816

$37.11 ¥5,776

-16.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥771

$4.98 ¥774

-0.60%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ¥379

$3.65 ¥567

-33.42%

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

$1.23 ¥191

$1.69 ¥262

-27.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥137

$0.92 ¥144

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ¥490

$3.65 ¥568

-13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥491

$5.06 ¥788

-37.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 ¥141

$1.55 ¥242

-41.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ¥100

$1.72 ¥268

-62.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 ¥635

$5.92 ¥922

-31.08%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥301

$2.23 ¥347

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 ¥2,404

$11.36 ¥1,769

36.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ¥1,053

$7.67 ¥1,194

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.01 ¥2,647

$20.11 ¥3,130

-15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 ¥339

$5.18 ¥806

-57.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥248

$2.51 ¥391

-36.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.02 ¥782

$4.64 ¥722

8.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.69 ¥1,197

$5.91 ¥920

30.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 ¥630

$3.54 ¥551

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.67 ¥727

$3.44 ¥536

35.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.22 ¥189

-4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ¥70.8

$0.86 ¥133

-46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥608

$3.97 ¥618

-1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 ¥1,498

$9.53 ¥1,484

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ¥393

$1.78 ¥277

41.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥332

$3.03 ¥472

-29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 ¥238

$1.23 ¥191

24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.05 ¥7,478

$67.6 ¥10.5K

-28.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ¥494

$3.16 ¥492

0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥447

$3.04 ¥473

-5.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.78 ¥2,455

$18.14 ¥2,824

-13.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ¥164

$1.04 ¥162

1.92%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

0.91%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

0.51%

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

$114 ¥17.8K

$157 ¥24.4K

-27.11%

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

$23.37 ¥3,637

$22.07 ¥3,435

5.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 ¥4,722

$30.21 ¥4,702

0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ¥8,855

$62.5 ¥9,734

-9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 ¥1,763

$12.30 ¥1,914

-7.89%

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

$562 ¥87.5K

$1,300 ¥202.3K

-56.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ¥2.2M

$17.7K ¥2.8M

-18.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 ¥7,785

$51.2 ¥7,970

-2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 ¥5,621

$32.35 ¥5,035

11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 ¥9,406

$62.6 ¥9,740

-3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 ¥15.4K

$74.6 ¥11.6K

32.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ¥70.7K

$1,230 ¥191.5K

-63.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ¥49.4K

$660 ¥102.7K

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥147.2K

$2,368 ¥368.5K

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥103.4K

$1,357 ¥211.3K

-51.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,028 ¥626.9K

$8,747 ¥1.4M

-53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,872 ¥291.4K

$3,944 ¥613.9K

-52.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

1.93

-13.99%

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

Last update for Sagamihara: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Sagamihara versus $1,230 in Tokyo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Sagamihara versus $37.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $354 – making Sagamihara 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

Sagamihara vs Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Sagamihara, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,793 per month in Sagamihara and $2,480 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,196 in Sagamihara and $1,653 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Sagamihara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sagamihara, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Tokyo at $1,653. In Sagamihara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sagamihara costs $1,196 versus $1,653 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Sagamihara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.