Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sapporo and Yokohama

For one person, living is cheaper in Yokohama: $1,340 a month against $1,422 in Sapporo, rent and utilities included – about $980 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sapporo, Japan
Yokohama, Japan
Sapporo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,422
/mo nomad
Yokohama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sapporo and in Yokohama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sapporo and in Yokohama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Sapporo vs $1,340 in Yokohama, rent included.

  • Sapporo $1,422
  • Yokohama $1,340

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Sapporo vs $2,054 in Yokohama, rent included.

  • Sapporo $2,123
  • Yokohama $2,054

A family of three spends $2,823 per month in Sapporo vs $2,768 in Yokohama, rent included.

  • Sapporo $2,823
  • Yokohama $2,768

Sapporo costs about 6% more than Yokohama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sapporo sits 4% above the global median, while Yokohama is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.33 ¥997
$6.45 ¥1,017
-1.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.34 ¥4,469
$40.72 ¥6,420
-30.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.51 ¥869
$5.19 ¥819
6.17%
Cappuccino
$4.92 ¥776
$3.41 ¥538
44.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ¥274
$1.06 ¥166
64.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ¥138
$0.74 ¥116
18.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.37 ¥689
$2.60 ¥409
68.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 ¥898
$3.09 ¥488
84.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 ¥243
$1.46 ¥230
5.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 ¥214
$1.75 ¥277
-22.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.97 ¥626
$3.59 ¥566
10.58%
Eggs
$1.78 ¥281
$2.03 ¥320
-12.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.44 ¥1,488
$10.26 ¥1,617
-7.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.77 ¥1,068
$6.14 ¥968
10.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.65 ¥4,044
$14.66 ¥2,311
74.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.25 ¥512
$5.54 ¥874
-41.34%
Banana (1kg)
$3.03 ¥477
$2.76 ¥436
9.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.15 ¥497
$2.96 ¥467
6.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.35 ¥686
$4.10 ¥646
6.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.14 ¥338
$2.52 ¥398
-15.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 ¥262
$2.58 ¥407
-35.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 ¥236
$1.30 ¥205
15.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ¥77.2
$0.77 ¥121
-36.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 ¥625
$3.90 ¥616
1.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.19 ¥1,292
$6.30 ¥994
30.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ¥293
$1.82 ¥288
2.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 ¥511
$2.09 ¥330
55.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.56 ¥246
$1.37 ¥217
13.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.41 ¥7,633
$62.4 ¥9,843
-22.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.12 ¥650
$3.11 ¥491
32.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ¥257
$2.66 ¥420
-38.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.09 ¥2,538
$20.61 ¥3,250
-21.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.07 ¥168
3.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$21.6K ¥3.4M
1.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.4K ¥2.3M
$16.1K ¥2.5M
-10.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$344 ¥54.2K
$130 ¥20.6K
163.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.82 ¥4,071
$24.74 ¥3,901
4.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.90 ¥7,553
$32.65 ¥5,149
46.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.4 ¥7,954
$48.93 ¥7,715
3.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.20 ¥504
$11.78 ¥1,857
-72.84%
Cinema Ticket
$12.08 ¥1,904
$13.09 ¥2,064
-7.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 ¥49.2K
$805 ¥127.0K
-61.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K ¥1.6M
$15.0K ¥2.4M
-32.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.49 ¥6,069
$61.7 ¥9,721
-37.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.24 ¥3,979
$37.72 ¥5,948
-33.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.43 ¥7,636
$62.6 ¥9,874
-22.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 ¥18.7K
$102 ¥16.1K
16.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$463 ¥73.0K
$1,097 ¥172.9K
-57.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$276 ¥43.5K
$450 ¥70.9K
-38.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$831 ¥131.1K
$1,796 ¥283.3K
-53.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$644 ¥101.5K
$805 ¥126.9K
-19.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,259 ¥356.2K
$5,778 ¥911.0K
-60.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,608 ¥253.5K
$4,066 ¥641.1K
-60.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sapporo
Yokohama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,281 ¥359.6K
$2,669 ¥420.9K
-14.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.57
2.64
-2.65%

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

Last update for Sapporo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sapporo
$417
Yokohama
$188 55% $229
Groceries & Markets
Sapporo
$314
Yokohama
$290 7.6% $24
Accommodation & Living
Sapporo
$276
Yokohama
$450 62.9% $174
Eating Out
Sapporo
$170
Yokohama
$134 20.9% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Sapporo
$104
Yokohama
$119 14.3% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Sapporo
$75
Yokohama
$75 0.7% $0.5
Getting Around
Sapporo
$67
Yokohama
$84 26% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Sapporo versus $1,097 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 17% 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 $28 in Sapporo versus $41 in Yokohama. Groceries tell a different story – $314 in Sapporo vs $290 in Yokohama – so Yokohama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Sapporo
🇯🇵 Yokohama
🕒 Local time
12:34 12:34 PM
12:34 12:34 PM
Same time as Sapporo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,973,395
3,777,491
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sapporo Yokohama 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sapporo
  • Yokohama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Yokohama cheaper than Sapporo?
Yes – Sapporo is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,133 per month in Sapporo and $2,010 in Yokohama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sapporo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $463 there versus $1,097 in Yokohama.
Is eating out cheaper in Sapporo or in Yokohama?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Sapporo and $41 in Yokohama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sapporo and in Yokohama?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,422 in Sapporo and $1,340 in Yokohama. That makes Yokohama about 6% cheaper.
Is $2,000 enough for either Sapporo or Yokohama?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,422 in Sapporo and $1,340 in Yokohama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yokohama costs $1,340 versus $1,422 in Sapporo. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is safer, Sapporo or Yokohama?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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