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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Sapporo vs $1,427 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,170 per month in Sapporo vs $2,228 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,871 per month in Sapporo vs $3,030 in Okinawa, rent included.

Sapporo costs about 3% more than Okinawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sapporo and Okinawa sit above the global median – Sapporo by 7%, Okinawa by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ¥1,003

$9.68 ¥1,511

-33.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.77 ¥4,957

$40.32 ¥6,292

-21.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 ¥989

$6.94 ¥1,082

-8.65%

Cappuccino

$4.95 ¥773

$4.18 ¥653

18.42%

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

$1.80 ¥281

$1.47 ¥230

22.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ¥163

$1.01 ¥158

2.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ¥674

$2.00 ¥313

116.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ¥898

$4.46 ¥696

29.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥258

$1.59 ¥249

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥225

$2.20 ¥344

-34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$3.98 ¥620

5.03%

Eggs

$1.77 ¥276

$1.81 ¥282

-2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,489

$17.99 ¥2,807

-46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 ¥1,124

$5.05 ¥788

42.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.04 ¥4,063

$22.90 ¥3,574

13.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 ¥494

$3.73 ¥582

-15.01%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.78 ¥434

13.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ¥495

$2.30 ¥358

37.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 ¥655

$5.27 ¥822

-20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 ¥333

$2.45 ¥382

-13.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ¥272

$2.53 ¥394

-31.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥238

$1.35 ¥211

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥73.0

$0.77 ¥120

-38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥624

$3.93 ¥614

1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 ¥1,281

$6.51 ¥1,015

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥301

$1.96 ¥306

-1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥494

$3.45 ¥538

-8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥255

$1.46 ¥229

11.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.13 ¥7,666

$68.1 ¥10.6K

-27.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 ¥645

$3.94 ¥614

4.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 ¥269

$3.59 ¥560

-52.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.36 ¥2,553

$11.87 ¥1,853

37.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥168

$1.13 ¥177

-4.42%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

2.19%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

-3.65%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$165 ¥25.7K

108.94%

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

$26.14 ¥4,079

$25.69 ¥4,009

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.69 ¥7,596

$54.8 ¥8,550

-11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 ¥7,984

$74.0 ¥11.6K

-30.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.33 ¥520

$56.5 ¥8,814

-94.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 ¥1,908

$12.50 ¥1,951

-2.16%

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

$326 ¥50.8K

$345 ¥53.8K

-5.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K ¥1.6M

$5,827 ¥909.1K

77.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.77 ¥6,049

$51.7 ¥8,063

-24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.09 ¥4,071

$24.12 ¥3,763

8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.71 ¥7,600

$81.1 ¥12.7K

-39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ¥18.2K

$95.9 ¥15.0K

21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥71.7K

$411 ¥64.2K

11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥44.1K

$332 ¥51.8K

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ¥131.6K

$863 ¥134.7K

-2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ¥102.6K

$694 ¥108.2K

-5.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,228 ¥347.7K

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-74.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,616 ¥252.1K

$1,200 ¥187.3K

34.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,039 ¥318.2K

$1,861 ¥290.4K

9.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.23

3.59%

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

Last update for Sapporo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Sapporo versus $411 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 10% 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 $32.00 in Sapporo versus $40.00 in Okinawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $337 – 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

Sapporo costs about 3% more than Okinawa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,203 per month in Sapporo and $2,140 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 $32.00 in Sapporo and $40.00 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 $1,469 in Sapporo and $1,427 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 $1,427, than in Sapporo at $1,469. 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.