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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Sapporo vs $1,422 in Yokohama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,109 per month in Sapporo vs $2,170 in Yokohama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Sapporo vs $2,918 in Yokohama, rent included.

Sapporo costs about 4% more than Yokohama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sapporo and Yokohama sit above the global median – Sapporo by 11%, Yokohama by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.61 ¥1,534

$6.88 ¥1,098

39.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 ¥4,415

$41.10 ¥6,556

-32.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥843

$5.42 ¥865

-2.58%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ¥601

$3.14 ¥501

20.06%

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

$0.97 ¥155

$1.15 ¥184

-15.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.75 ¥120

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 ¥559

$2.09 ¥334

67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 ¥1,006

$3.05 ¥486

106.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ¥240

$1.56 ¥249

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ¥213

$1.69 ¥270

-20.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.23 ¥1,154

$4.95 ¥790

46.06%

Eggs

$1.84 ¥294

$2.29 ¥365

-19.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 ¥1,352

$9.97 ¥1,591

-15.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 ¥1,129

$6.35 ¥1,012

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.76 ¥3,313

$15.45 ¥2,464

34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 ¥565

$6.18 ¥986

-42.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ¥476

$3.14 ¥501

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ¥668

$3.99 ¥636

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 ¥623

$6.05 ¥965

-35.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 ¥446

$3.35 ¥534

-16.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ¥348

$4.29 ¥684

-49.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ¥244

$1.34 ¥213

14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥145

$0.89 ¥142

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ¥497

$4.15 ¥661

-24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 ¥1,276

$6.31 ¥1,006

26.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥324

$1.83 ¥292

10.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ¥545

$2.05 ¥328

66.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥268

$1.56 ¥248

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 ¥8,387

$55.8 ¥8,908

-5.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ¥759

$3.56 ¥568

33.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 ¥273

$2.64 ¥422

-35.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.98 ¥3,347

$22.08 ¥3,523

-4.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.23 ¥197

-0.81%

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

$35.2K ¥5.6M

$23.2K ¥3.7M

51.91%

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

$16.9K ¥2.7M

$18.5K ¥3.0M

-8.95%

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

$310 ¥49.5K

$145 ¥23.1K

114.23%

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

$28.23 ¥4,504

$27.62 ¥4,407

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.91 ¥6,846

$34.00 ¥5,425

26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ¥8,668

$55.1 ¥8,784

-1.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 ¥1,855

$13.91 ¥2,219

-16.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 ¥2,075

$13.52 ¥2,157

-3.77%

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

$274 ¥43.7K

$285 ¥45.5K

-4.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ¥1.8M

$13.6K ¥2.2M

-18.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,619

$41.28 ¥6,585

0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.08 ¥4,480

$29.93 ¥4,775

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.0 ¥8,136

$60.6 ¥9,664

-15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ¥20.2K

$113 ¥18.0K

11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 ¥84.5K

$829 ¥132.3K

-36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥48.8K

$484 ¥77.2K

-36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 ¥117.4K

$1,277 ¥203.8K

-42.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥88.9K

$866 ¥138.1K

-35.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 ¥354.0K

$6,106 ¥974.1K

-63.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,575 ¥251.2K

$4,173 ¥665.8K

-62.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,726 ¥275.4K

$2,623 ¥418.5K

-34.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.83

2.05

-10.73%

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

Last update for Sapporo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Sapporo versus $829 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 52% 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 $28.00 in Sapporo versus $41.00 in Yokohama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $326 – 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sapporo is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,220 per month in Sapporo and $2,133 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 $28.00 in Sapporo and $41.00 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 $1,480 in Sapporo and $1,422 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 $1,422, than in Sapporo at $1,480. 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.