Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Yokohama Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Yokohama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Sapporo vs $1,375 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,170 per month in Sapporo vs $2,131 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,871 per month in Sapporo vs $2,886 in Yokohama, rent included.

Sapporo costs about 7% more than Yokohama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sapporo and Yokohama sit above the global median – Sapporo by 7%, Yokohama by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 ¥1,003

$6.57 ¥1,026

-2.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.77 ¥4,957

$42.14 ¥6,575

-24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 ¥989

$5.24 ¥818

20.99%

Cappuccino

$4.95 ¥773

$3.58 ¥558

38.27%

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

$1.80 ¥281

$1.12 ¥175

60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ¥163

$0.76 ¥119

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 ¥674

$2.65 ¥413

63.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ¥898

$3.16 ¥493

82.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥258

$1.49 ¥233

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ¥225

$1.76 ¥275

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 ¥652

$3.68 ¥575

13.59%

Eggs

$1.77 ¥276

$2.11 ¥329

-16.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 ¥1,489

$11.95 ¥1,865

-20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 ¥1,124

$6.13 ¥956

17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.04 ¥4,063

$15.04 ¥2,346

73.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 ¥494

$5.75 ¥897

-44.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 ¥494

$2.88 ¥450

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ¥495

$3.04 ¥474

4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 ¥655

$4.27 ¥666

-1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 ¥333

$2.57 ¥401

-17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ¥272

$2.75 ¥428

-36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥238

$1.33 ¥208

15.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥73.0

$0.77 ¥120

-38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ¥624

$3.93 ¥613

1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 ¥1,281

$6.43 ¥1,003

27.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥301

$1.84 ¥287

4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ¥494

$2.07 ¥322

53.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ¥255

$1.46 ¥227

11.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.13 ¥7,666

$57.3 ¥8,932

-14.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 ¥645

$3.32 ¥518

24.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 ¥269

$2.65 ¥414

-35.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.36 ¥2,553

$21.00 ¥3,276

-22.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥168

$1.09 ¥170

-0.92%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.8K ¥3.4M

2.72%

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

$14.9K ¥2.3M

$18.8K ¥2.9M

-20.96%

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

$345 ¥53.8K

$138 ¥21.5K

150.57%

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

$26.14 ¥4,079

$24.34 ¥3,798

7.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.69 ¥7,596

$32.91 ¥5,135

47.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 ¥7,984

$52.9 ¥8,251

-3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.33 ¥520

$11.77 ¥1,837

-71.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 ¥1,908

$12.82 ¥2,000

-4.60%

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

$326 ¥50.8K

$654 ¥102.1K

-50.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K ¥1.6M

$15.2K ¥2.4M

-31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.77 ¥6,049

$64.3 ¥10.0K

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.09 ¥4,071

$33.86 ¥5,283

-22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.71 ¥7,600

$63.1 ¥9,849

-22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ¥18.2K

$104 ¥16.2K

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ¥71.7K

$1,179 ¥184.0K

-61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥44.1K

$458 ¥71.5K

-38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ¥131.6K

$2,316 ¥361.4K

-63.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ¥102.6K

$884 ¥138.0K

-25.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,228 ¥347.7K

$6,991 ¥1.1M

-68.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,616 ¥252.1K

$4,099 ¥639.5K

-60.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,039 ¥318.2K

$2,778 ¥433.4K

-26.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.12

8.96%

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

Last update for Sapporo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Sapporo versus $1,179 in Yokohama. 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 36% higher in Yokohama, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Sapporo versus $42.00 in Yokohama. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Sapporo vs $301 in Yokohama – so Yokohama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sapporo is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,203 per month in Sapporo and $2,062 in Yokohama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yokohama, 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 $42.00 in Yokohama. 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 $1,375 in Yokohama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yokohama, where all-in costs run around $1,375, than in Sapporo at $1,469. In Yokohama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sapporo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yokohama – 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 Yokohama. 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.