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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Sapporo vs $1,418 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,109 per month in Sapporo vs $2,190 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Sapporo vs $2,962 in Okinawa, rent included.

Sapporo costs about 4% more than Okinawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sapporo and Okinawa sit above the global median – Sapporo by 11%, Okinawa by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.61 ¥1,534

$8.49 ¥1,354

13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 ¥4,415

$41.68 ¥6,649

-33.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥843

$6.06 ¥967

-12.87%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥601

$3.45 ¥551

9.28%

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

$0.97 ¥155

$1.37 ¥219

-29.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.85 ¥135

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥559

$3.40 ¥543

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 ¥1,006

$4.97 ¥793

26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥240

$1.94 ¥310

-22.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥213

$2.35 ¥375

-42.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 ¥1,154

$4.64 ¥741

55.82%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥294

$2.07 ¥331

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 ¥1,352

$16.49 ¥2,631

-48.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 ¥1,129

$11.02 ¥1,759

-35.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 ¥3,313

$26.68 ¥4,257

-22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥565

$5.15 ¥822

-31.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ¥476

$2.58 ¥412

15.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ¥668

$3.00 ¥478

39.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 ¥623

$5.64 ¥900

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 ¥446

$3.57 ¥570

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ¥348

$2.81 ¥448

-22.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.55 ¥247

-1.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥145

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ¥497

$4.93 ¥786

-36.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 ¥1,276

$8.50 ¥1,356

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥324

$1.81 ¥289

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ¥545

$2.99 ¥477

14.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥268

$1.64 ¥262

2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 ¥8,387

$34.66 ¥5,529

51.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ¥759

$4.28 ¥683

11.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 ¥273

$3.64 ¥580

-53.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 ¥3,347

$12.70 ¥2,026

65.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.21 ¥193

0.83%

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

$35.2K ¥5.6M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

51.35%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.3K ¥2.8M

-2.31%

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

$310 ¥49.5K

$177 ¥28.2K

75.49%

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

$28.23 ¥4,504

$27.99 ¥4,465

0.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.91 ¥6,846

$32.04 ¥5,112

33.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ¥8,668

$52.9 ¥8,438

2.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 ¥1,855

$7.00 ¥1,117

66.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 ¥2,075

$12.28 ¥1,960

5.94%

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

$274 ¥43.7K

$343 ¥54.7K

-20.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ¥1.8M

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-16.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,619

$47.74 ¥7,616

-13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 ¥4,480

$28.65 ¥4,572

-1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 ¥8,136

$72.4 ¥11.5K

-29.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ¥20.2K

$93.1 ¥14.8K

35.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 ¥84.5K

$452 ¥72.1K

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥48.8K

$402 ¥64.1K

-23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 ¥117.4K

$945 ¥150.8K

-22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥88.9K

$751 ¥119.8K

-25.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 ¥354.0K

$8,673 ¥1.4M

-74.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 ¥251.2K

$1,203 ¥191.8K

30.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,726 ¥275.4K

$1,316 ¥210.0K

31.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

-8.50%

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

Last update for Sapporo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Sapporo versus $452 in Okinawa. 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 31% higher in Sapporo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Sapporo versus $42.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $401 – 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

Sapporo vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sapporo is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Sapporo and $2,127 in Okinawa. 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 $28.00 in Sapporo and $42.00 in Okinawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Sapporo and $1,418 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,418, than in Sapporo at $1,480. 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.