Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Sagamihara Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Sagamihara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,352 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $2,119 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,886 in Sagamihara, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 26% more than Sagamihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tokyo and Sagamihara sit above the global median – Tokyo by 27%, Sagamihara by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$34.09 ¥5,539

43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$6.27 ¥1,019

-12.60%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.03 ¥492

18.81%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.15 ¥187

10.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.72 ¥117

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.38 ¥549

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$3.15 ¥511

72.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.68 ¥273

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.71 ¥278

-11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$5.06 ¥822

5.53%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.53 ¥411

-8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$17.04 ¥2,769

-6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$7.73 ¥1,255

5.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.51 ¥2,520

45.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$9.20 ¥1,494

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.87 ¥466

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.94 ¥803

19.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$9.65 ¥1,568

-37.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.83 ¥622

-15.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.63 ¥427

28.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.31 ¥213

10.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.38 ¥225

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$3.37 ¥547

26.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.18 ¥1,491

1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.88 ¥468

-28.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.26 ¥367

26.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.67 ¥271

-11.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$55.9 ¥9,075

51.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.43 ¥557

-1.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$2.96 ¥480

-1.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$17.54 ¥2,850

49.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.23 ¥199

-2.44%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

2.51%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.8M

1.09%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$138 ¥22.4K

21.38%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.56 ¥4,478

-6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$34.19 ¥5,555

-2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.9 ¥9,239

24.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.98 ¥2,272

44.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$12.40 ¥2,015

5.40%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$477 ¥77.5K

3.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$11.4K ¥1.9M

37.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$46.61 ¥7,574

32.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$31.46 ¥5,112

32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$55.4 ¥8,992

19.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$90.1 ¥14.6K

1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$466 ¥75.7K

140.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$335 ¥54.5K

80.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$869 ¥141.2K

208.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$657 ¥106.7K

104.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$3,797 ¥616.9K

172.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,876 ¥304.8K

165.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.78

-3.37%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $466 in Sagamihara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Sagamihara. Groceries tell a different story – $383 in Tokyo vs $408 in Sagamihara – so Tokyo 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

Tokyo vs Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 26% more than Sagamihara, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $2,028 in Sagamihara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sagamihara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,701 in Tokyo and $1,352 in Sagamihara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Sagamihara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sagamihara, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Sagamihara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sagamihara costs $1,352 versus $1,701 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Sagamihara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.