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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.67 ¥1,547

$8.24 ¥1,317

17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.36 ¥4,376

$40.98 ¥6,554

-33.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ¥856

$5.89 ¥942

-9.17%

Cappuccino

$3.68 ¥588

$3.45 ¥552

6.67%

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

$0.99 ¥158

$1.38 ¥220

-28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥125

$0.85 ¥136

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 ¥561

$3.49 ¥559

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 ¥1,010

$4.89 ¥782

29.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.92 ¥308

-17.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥214

$2.25 ¥359

-40.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.30 ¥1,167

$4.68 ¥748

55.98%

Eggs

$1.95 ¥311

$2.02 ¥324

-3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 ¥1,413

$16.21 ¥2,593

-45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 ¥1,188

$11.12 ¥1,779

-33.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.71 ¥3,312

$26.13 ¥4,180

-20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ¥558

$5.19 ¥831

-32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 ¥474

$2.66 ¥426

11.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ¥685

$3.11 ¥497

37.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 ¥645

$5.98 ¥956

-32.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 ¥461

$3.56 ¥569

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ¥352

$2.79 ¥446

-21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ¥241

$1.57 ¥252

-3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.94 ¥150

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ¥477

$4.74 ¥758

-37.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ¥1,318

$6.10 ¥975

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$1.82 ¥291

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ¥559

$3.00 ¥480

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 ¥279

$1.67 ¥267

4.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 ¥8,157

$34.72 ¥5,553

46.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 ¥724

$4.12 ¥658

9.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 ¥270

$3.63 ¥581

-53.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 ¥3,278

$12.69 ¥2,030

61.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.19 ¥190

2.52%

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

$34.8K ¥5.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

47.84%

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)

$317 ¥50.7K

$174 ¥27.9K

82.06%

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

$27.99 ¥4,476

$27.88 ¥4,459

0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.87 ¥7,017

$31.40 ¥5,023

39.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 ¥8,748

$52.3 ¥8,365

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥1,811

$6.99 ¥1,117

61.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ¥2,126

$12.45 ¥1,991

6.75%

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

$272 ¥43.5K

$344 ¥55.0K

-20.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ¥1.8M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-17.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 ¥6,723

$48.53 ¥7,762

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.24 ¥4,517

$29.20 ¥4,671

-3.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.8 ¥8,288

$71.3 ¥11.4K

-27.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ¥20.2K

$90.4 ¥14.5K

40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥84.2K

$439 ¥70.2K

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥48.9K

$401 ¥64.2K

-23.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 ¥121.5K

$951 ¥152.1K

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 ¥89.6K

$731 ¥117.0K

-23.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 ¥351.0K

$8,781 ¥1.4M

-75.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ¥254.0K

$1,197 ¥191.4K

32.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 ¥279.7K

$1,817 ¥290.7K

-3.75%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,193 per month in Sapporo and $2,188 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 $27.00 in Sapporo and $41.00 in Okinawa. 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.