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: $1,476 in Sapporo versus $1,347 in Osaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,124 in Sapporo versus $2,036 in Osaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Sapporo versus $2,725 in Osaka.

Living in Sapporo is roughly 10% more expensive than in Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 ¥1,499

$6.75 ¥1,064

41.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 ¥4,426

$35.24 ¥5,553

-20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ¥836

$4.75 ¥749

11.79%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ¥592

$3.29 ¥518

14.29%

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

$0.93 ¥147

$1.10 ¥173

-15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥132

$0.76 ¥120

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥536

$2.82 ¥445

20.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 ¥973

$4.41 ¥695

40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥251

$1.59 ¥250

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ¥209

$1.44 ¥227

-7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.24 ¥1,141

$4.78 ¥753

51.46%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥303

$2.33 ¥367

-17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 ¥1,337

$10.61 ¥1,671

-20.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 ¥1,157

$6.39 ¥1,007

14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 ¥3,272

$18.87 ¥2,973

10.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ¥555

$3.66 ¥577

-3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 ¥483

$2.12 ¥334

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 ¥669

$2.52 ¥396

68.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 ¥634

$4.44 ¥699

-9.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 ¥437

$1.67 ¥262

65.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ¥361

$1.26 ¥199

81.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ¥236

$1.33 ¥209

12.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥131

$0.87 ¥138

-4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 ¥477

$3.96 ¥625

-23.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ¥1,224

$9.05 ¥1,426

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥321

$2.03 ¥320

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 ¥553

$2.90 ¥458

21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 ¥277

$1.59 ¥250

10.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ¥8,341

$35.37 ¥5,574

49.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ¥750

$4.45 ¥700

6.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 ¥271

$3.35 ¥528

-48.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.62 ¥3,250

$23.70 ¥3,734

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥187

$1.19 ¥188

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

$35.1K ¥5.5M

$23.1K ¥3.6M

52.06%

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

$16.8K ¥2.6M

$16.9K ¥2.7M

-0.53%

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

$319 ¥50.3K

$135 ¥21.3K

136.42%

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

$28.68 ¥4,519

$27.52 ¥4,336

4.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.50 ¥6,697

$30.63 ¥4,826

38.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ¥8,499

$57.2 ¥9,020

-5.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥1,784

$21.14 ¥3,331

-46.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 ¥2,036

$12.25 ¥1,930

5.47%

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

$281 ¥44.3K

$68.0 ¥10.7K

313.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ¥1.7M

$10.5K ¥1.6M

4.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.16 ¥6,485

$44.66 ¥7,037

-7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 ¥4,383

$28.96 ¥4,563

-3.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 ¥8,199

$68.6 ¥10.8K

-24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ¥20.0K

$96.6 ¥15.2K

31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 ¥83.6K

$721 ¥113.6K

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥47.4K

$474 ¥74.6K

-36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 ¥118.1K

$1,298 ¥204.5K

-42.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 ¥87.1K

$818 ¥128.9K

-32.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,120 ¥334.1K

$5,971 ¥940.9K

-64.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,544 ¥243.3K

$2,029 ¥319.7K

-23.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ¥270.2K

$1,868 ¥294.3K

-8.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Osaka: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Sapporo and $721 in Osaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Osaka pays 9% 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 $325 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,476 vs $1,347 including rent). Osaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Osaka. 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 $721 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 50% less than in Sapporo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $281 in Sapporo versus $68.0 in Osaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,347 in Osaka versus $1,476 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 10% less than in Sapporo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.