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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,497 per month in Taipei vs $1,486 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Taipei vs $2,150 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,168 per month in Taipei vs $2,814 in Sapporo, rent included.

Taipei costs about 1% more than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Taipei and Sapporo sit above the global median – Taipei by 12%, Sapporo by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 NT$214

$9.76 ¥1,585

-32.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 NT$1,286

$28.01 ¥4,551

42.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 NT$180

$5.28 ¥858

5.87%

Cappuccino

$3.93 NT$127

$3.79 ¥617

3.69%

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

$1.16 NT$37.60

$0.98 ¥160

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NT$24.19

$0.84 ¥137

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 NT$111

$3.38 ¥549

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NT$111

$6.17 ¥1,002

-44.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$102

$1.51 ¥246

109.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$1.33 ¥216

41.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$7.25 ¥1,178

-58.21%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$91.9

$1.84 ¥299

54.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.35 NT$657

$8.81 ¥1,432

130.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$327

$7.10 ¥1,154

42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.00 NT$646

$21.21 ¥3,446

-5.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 NT$162

$3.38 ¥549

48.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$3.10 ¥504

-7.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 NT$93.7

$4.19 ¥680

-30.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 NT$135

$3.99 ¥648

4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 NT$92.4

$2.90 ¥471

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.4

$2.29 ¥373

-2.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$62.8

$1.50 ¥243

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NT$42.42

$0.84 ¥136

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 NT$134

$2.97 ¥482

39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 NT$446

$7.84 ¥1,274

76.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 NT$58.2

$2.13 ¥346

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NT$76.4

$3.40 ¥552

-30.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.76

$1.78 ¥289

-51.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.26 NT$1,332

$51.0 ¥8,290

-19.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$95.0

$4.73 ¥768

-37.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.90

$1.72 ¥280

-56.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NT$333

$21.15 ¥3,437

-51.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.44

$1.17 ¥191

-11.11%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$34.9K ¥5.7M

10.89%

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

$27.6K NT$891.5K

$17.0K ¥2.8M

62.58%

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

$86.2 NT$2,781

$314 ¥51.0K

-72.55%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$28.48 ¥4,627

-34.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.48 NT$790

$43.49 ¥7,065

-43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 NT$1,341

$54.1 ¥8,796

-23.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 NT$448

$11.51 ¥1,870

20.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 NT$378

$13.22 ¥2,147

-11.42%

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

$643 NT$20.8K

$280 ¥45.5K

129.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$608.4K

$11.0K ¥1.8M

70.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 NT$1,921

$41.98 ¥6,820

41.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 NT$1,078

$27.17 ¥4,414

22.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$2,999

$51.7 ¥8,399

79.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NT$3,915

$127 ¥20.6K

-4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 NT$25.7K

$523 ¥85.0K

52.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 NT$17.4K

$306 ¥49.7K

76.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 NT$53.3K

$749 ¥121.6K

120.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NT$34.9K

$545 ¥88.6K

98.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K NT$414.3K

$2,183 ¥354.6K

488.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,600 NT$245.3K

$1,521 ¥247.1K

399.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,716 NT$55.4K

$1,725 ¥280.2K

-0.52%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Taipei versus $523 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 1% 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 $28.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $325 – 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 1%, 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 $2,246 per month in Taipei and $2,228 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 $28.00 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 $1,497 in Taipei and $1,486 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 $1,486, than in Taipei at $1,497. 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.