Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,480 in Sapporo versus $1,352 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,109 in Sapporo versus $2,031 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,738 in Sapporo versus $2,710 in Osaka.

Living in Sapporo is roughly 9% more expensive than Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sapporo 11% above, Osaka 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.61 ¥1,539

$6.95 ¥1,113

38.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 ¥4,430

$34.82 ¥5,574

-20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥846

$4.95 ¥792

6.67%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥603

$3.32 ¥532

13.55%

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

$0.97 ¥155

$1.09 ¥174

-11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.72 ¥116

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥561

$2.79 ¥447

25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 ¥1,010

$4.37 ¥699

44.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥241

$1.58 ¥254

-5.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.47 ¥236

-8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 ¥1,158

$4.65 ¥744

55.48%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥295

$2.36 ¥378

-22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 ¥1,356

$10.40 ¥1,665

-18.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 ¥1,133

$6.50 ¥1,040

8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 ¥3,324

$19.26 ¥3,083

7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥567

$3.63 ¥582

-2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ¥478

$2.09 ¥335

42.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ¥670

$2.47 ¥395

69.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 ¥625

$4.35 ¥696

-10.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 ¥448

$1.65 ¥264

69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ¥349

$1.30 ¥208

67.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥245

$1.34 ¥214

14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥146

$0.84 ¥135

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ¥499

$3.81 ¥609

-18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 ¥1,280

$9.20 ¥1,473

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$2.08 ¥332

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ¥547

$2.98 ¥477

14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥269

$1.58 ¥253

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 ¥8,416

$35.89 ¥5,746

46.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ¥761

$4.49 ¥718

6.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 ¥273

$3.39 ¥542

-49.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 ¥3,358

$23.90 ¥3,826

-12.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥196

$1.23 ¥197

-0.81%

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

$35.2K ¥5.6M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

50.38%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

-2.07%

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

$310 ¥49.7K

$130 ¥20.9K

137.90%

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

$28.23 ¥4,519

$27.23 ¥4,358

3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.91 ¥6,869

$30.85 ¥4,938

39.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ¥8,697

$58.6 ¥9,374

-7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 ¥1,861

$20.43 ¥3,271

-43.12%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 ¥2,082

$12.38 ¥1,981

5.09%

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

$274 ¥43.8K

$69.4 ¥11.1K

294.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ¥1.8M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

5.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,642

$43.94 ¥7,034

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 ¥4,495

$29.63 ¥4,743

-5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 ¥8,164

$68.8 ¥11.0K

-25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ¥20.2K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 ¥84.8K

$733 ¥117.3K

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥49.0K

$467 ¥74.8K

-34.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 ¥117.8K

$1,275 ¥204.1K

-42.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥89.2K

$822 ¥131.7K

-32.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 ¥355.2K

$5,986 ¥958.2K

-62.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 ¥252.1K

$2,086 ¥333.9K

-24.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,726 ¥276.4K

$1,989 ¥318.4K

-13.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

1.81

1.10%

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

Last update for Sapporo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Sapporo and $733 in Osaka. 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: $28.00 in Sapporo vs $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $322 vs $300, with Osaka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sapporo and Osaka differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,480 vs $1,352 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Osaka earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $530 in Sapporo versus $733 in Osaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Osaka runs roughly 46% less than in Sapporo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $274 in Sapporo versus $69.4 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,352 in Osaka versus $1,480 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, Sapporo and Osaka 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 9% less than in Sapporo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.