Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Tokyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Tokyo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,442 per month in Sapporo vs $1,684 in Tokyo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,118 per month in Sapporo vs $2,693 in Tokyo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,794 per month in Sapporo vs $3,703 in Tokyo, rent included.

Sapporo is about 14% cheaper than Tokyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sapporo and Tokyo sit above the global median – Sapporo by 8%, Tokyo by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 ¥1,574

$8.09 ¥1,294

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.21 ¥4,352

$48.31 ¥7,727

-43.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥829

$5.69 ¥910

-8.96%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ¥616

$3.57 ¥571

7.84%

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

$0.97 ¥155

$1.26 ¥202

-23.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.93 ¥148

-10.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ¥542

$4.25 ¥681

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 ¥970

$5.30 ¥848

14.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.58 ¥252

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥205

$1.59 ¥254

-19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.24 ¥1,157

$5.32 ¥851

36.09%

Eggs

$1.93 ¥308

$2.41 ¥385

-19.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 ¥1,395

$16.04 ¥2,565

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 ¥1,153

$7.85 ¥1,255

-8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.88 ¥3,340

$23.16 ¥3,704

-9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 ¥547

$5.23 ¥836

-34.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 ¥479

$2.57 ¥412

16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 ¥679

$5.73 ¥917

-26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 ¥613

$5.97 ¥955

-35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ¥442

$3.21 ¥514

-14.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 ¥362

$3.51 ¥562

-35.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.48 ¥236

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.90 ¥143

-7.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥494

$4.27 ¥684

-27.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ¥1,291

$9.39 ¥1,501

-14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥335

$2.15 ¥343

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ¥546

$2.88 ¥461

18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥268

$1.48 ¥237

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.3 ¥8,370

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-38.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 ¥750

$3.49 ¥559

34.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 ¥276

$2.87 ¥458

-39.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.91 ¥3,345

$26.77 ¥4,281

-21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥199

$1.22 ¥195

1.64%

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

$35.3K ¥5.6M

$23.5K ¥3.8M

50.58%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$17.4K ¥2.8M

-2.59%

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

$322 ¥51.5K

$164 ¥26.2K

96.91%

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

$28.55 ¥4,566

$26.63 ¥4,259

7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.56 ¥6,807

$33.94 ¥5,428

25.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ¥8,816

$69.0 ¥11.0K

-20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.36 ¥1,817

$20.11 ¥3,217

-43.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 ¥2,104

$13.06 ¥2,088

0.77%

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

$281 ¥44.9K

$506 ¥81.0K

-44.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ¥1.7M

$15.7K ¥2.5M

-30.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.04 ¥6,564

$60.1 ¥9,611

-31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.62 ¥4,419

$40.31 ¥6,448

-31.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 ¥8,217

$64.7 ¥10.3K

-20.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ¥20.2K

$91.2 ¥14.6K

38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ¥82.3K

$1,094 ¥175.0K

-52.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ¥49.0K

$596 ¥95.4K

-48.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ¥121.3K

$2,609 ¥417.4K

-70.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥87.7K

$1,339 ¥214.2K

-59.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,188 ¥350.0K

$10.8K ¥1.7M

-79.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,580 ¥252.8K

$4,974 ¥795.6K

-68.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 ¥279.8K

$2,501 ¥400.1K

-30.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

1.72

6.40%

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

Last update for Sapporo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Sapporo versus $1,094 in Tokyo. 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 43% higher in Tokyo, 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 $27.00 in Sapporo versus $48.00 in Tokyo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $382 – 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 Tokyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 17%, 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 $2,164 per month in Sapporo and $2,526 in Tokyo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sapporo, 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 $48.00 in Tokyo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,442 in Sapporo and $1,684 in Tokyo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sapporo, where all-in costs run around $1,442, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Sapporo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sapporo – 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 Sapporo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.