Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Sapporo Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipei and Sapporo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Taipei vs $1,442 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Taipei vs $2,118 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,295 per month in Taipei vs $2,794 in Sapporo, rent included.

Taipei costs about 4% more than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taipei and Sapporo sit above the global median – Taipei by 11%, Sapporo by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 NT$209

$9.84 ¥1,574

-32.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 NT$1,274

$27.21 ¥4,352

48.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$183

$5.18 ¥829

11.78%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NT$118

$3.85 ¥616

-2.60%

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

$1.13 NT$35.45

$0.97 ¥155

16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$22.77

$0.83 ¥133

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 NT$104

$3.39 ¥542

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NT$104

$6.06 ¥970

-45.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$98.3

$1.58 ¥253

97.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.4

$1.28 ¥205

54.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$96.6

$7.24 ¥1,157

-57.60%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.8

$1.93 ¥308

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.73 NT$621

$8.72 ¥1,395

126.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 NT$312

$7.21 ¥1,153

37.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 NT$641

$20.88 ¥3,340

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 NT$162

$3.42 ¥547

50.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NT$91.9

$2.99 ¥479

-2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$90.9

$4.24 ¥679

-31.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 NT$134

$3.83 ¥613

11.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.0

$2.76 ¥442

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.1

$2.26 ¥362

-3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.1

$1.52 ¥243

29.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.76

$0.83 ¥133

67.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 NT$126

$3.09 ¥494

29.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 NT$456

$8.07 ¥1,291

79.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.2

$2.09 ¥335

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 NT$76.2

$3.41 ¥546

-29.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 NT$28.07

$1.68 ¥268

-47.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.16 NT$1,297

$52.3 ¥8,370

-21.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.7

$4.69 ¥750

-37.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.97

$1.73 ¥276

-54.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 NT$316

$20.91 ¥3,345

-51.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.66

$1.24 ¥199

-13.71%

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

$38.1K NT$1.2M

$35.3K ¥5.6M

8.00%

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

$27.9K NT$878.4K

$17.0K ¥2.7M

64.21%

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

$84.9 NT$2,675

$322 ¥51.5K

-73.64%

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

$18.69 NT$589

$28.55 ¥4,566

-34.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 NT$780

$42.56 ¥6,807

-41.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 NT$1,324

$55.1 ¥8,816

-23.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 NT$443

$11.36 ¥1,817

23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 NT$373

$13.16 ¥2,104

-10.03%

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

$626 NT$19.7K

$281 ¥44.9K

123.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K NT$587.0K

$10.9K ¥1.7M

70.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 NT$1,856

$41.04 ¥6,564

43.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,072

$27.62 ¥4,419

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 NT$2,997

$51.4 ¥8,217

85.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,894

$126 ¥20.2K

-2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$24.8K

$515 ¥82.3K

53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 NT$17.0K

$307 ¥49.0K

76.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 NT$52.5K

$758 ¥121.3K

119.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 NT$35.1K

$548 ¥87.7K

102.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K NT$431.0K

$2,188 ¥350.0K

525.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,450 NT$266.2K

$1,580 ¥252.8K

434.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,713 NT$54.0K

$1,749 ¥279.8K

-2.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

1.83

19.67%

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

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $789 in Taipei versus $515 in Sapporo. 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 2% higher in Sapporo, 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 $40.00 in Taipei versus $27.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $324 – 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

Taipei vs Sapporo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Taipei is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,240 per month in Taipei and $2,164 in Sapporo. 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 $40.00 in Taipei and $27.00 in Sapporo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,494 in Taipei and $1,442 in Sapporo. 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 Taipei at $1,494. In Sapporo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.