Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Sagamihara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sagamihara: $1,257 a month against $1,663 in Tokyo, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tokyo
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,663
/mo nomad
Sagamihara
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,257
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tokyo and in Sagamihara

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

A single person spends $1,663 per month in Tokyo vs $1,257 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Tokyo $1,663
  • Sagamihara $1,257

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Tokyo vs $2,021 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Tokyo $2,592
  • Sagamihara $2,021

A family of three spends $3,521 per month in Tokyo vs $2,785 in Sagamihara, rent included.

  • Tokyo $3,521
  • Sagamihara $2,785

Tokyo costs about 32% more than Sagamihara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Tokyo sits 23% above the global median, while Sagamihara is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.47 ¥1,180
$8.53 ¥1,348
-12.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.48 ¥5,921
$32.01 ¥5,057
17.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.90 ¥774
$4.91 ¥775
-0.20%
Cappuccino
$3.62 ¥571
$2.46 ¥389
47.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥262
$1.23 ¥195
34.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥133
$0.86 ¥135
-2.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 ¥582
$3.11 ¥492
18.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.24 ¥829
$3.08 ¥486
70.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$0.93 ¥147
60.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 ¥276
$0.62 ¥97.4
182.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.63 ¥889
$4.18 ¥660
34.69%
Eggs
$2.20 ¥348
$1.83 ¥290
20.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 ¥1,767
$15.74 ¥2,486
-28.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.84 ¥1,081
$6.96 ¥1,099
-1.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.61 ¥2,624
$17.26 ¥2,727
-3.77%
Apples (1kg)
$4.80 ¥759
$2.27 ¥358
111.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 ¥354
$1.60 ¥252
40.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 ¥666
$5.02 ¥794
-15.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.20 ¥821
$7.96 ¥1,257
-34.67%
Potato (1kg)
$3.29 ¥520
$3.90 ¥616
-15.64%
Onion (1kg)
$3.05 ¥481
$4.74 ¥749
-35.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ¥188
$1.13 ¥178
5.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥129
$0.42 ¥67.1
92.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.92 ¥619
$3.98 ¥629
-1.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.65 ¥1,524
$9.59 ¥1,515
0.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥258
$2.61 ¥412
-37.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ¥426
$2.13 ¥337
26.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 ¥197
$1.32 ¥209
-5.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.9 ¥10.1K
$47.24 ¥7,463
35.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 ¥494
$3.09 ¥488
1.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.21 ¥507
$2.81 ¥444
14.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.55 ¥2,931
$15.55 ¥2,457
19.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ¥166
$1.06 ¥167
-0.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K ¥3.4M
$21.4K ¥3.4M
0.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.2K ¥2.4M
$15.1K ¥2.4M
0.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 ¥23.5K
$117 ¥18.5K
26.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.59 ¥3,412
$23.13 ¥3,654
-6.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.62 ¥4,837
$31.04 ¥4,904
-1.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.7 ¥10.5K
$58.1 ¥9,172
14.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.58 ¥4,042
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.68 ¥2,004
$11.33 ¥1,790
11.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,350 ¥213.3K
$580 ¥91.6K
132.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K ¥2.8M
$14.5K ¥2.3M
23.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.0 ¥8,853
$49.53 ¥7,826
13.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.14 ¥5,236
$35.82 ¥5,659
-7.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.3 ¥10.2K
$61.4 ¥9,695
4.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.2 ¥11.1K
$97.3 ¥15.4K
-27.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,253 ¥197.9K
$468 ¥73.9K
167.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$700 ¥110.6K
$362 ¥57.1K
93.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,502 ¥395.3K
$1,074 ¥169.7K
132.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 ¥225.9K
$845 ¥133.5K
69.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,428 ¥1.5M
$4,844 ¥765.3K
94.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,236 ¥669.3K
$1,779 ¥281.0K
138.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tokyo
Sagamihara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,998 ¥473.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
2.02
11.39%

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

Last update for Tokyo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tokyo
$700
Sagamihara
$362 48.3% $338
Groceries & Markets
Tokyo
$325
Sagamihara
$321 1.1% $3.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tokyo
$201
Sagamihara
$172 14.5% $29
Eating Out
Tokyo
$157
Sagamihara
$143 9% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Tokyo
$101
Sagamihara
$110 9.1% $9.2
Sport & Entertainment
Tokyo
$92
Sagamihara
$81 12.3% $11
Getting Around
Tokyo
$88
Sagamihara
$70 20.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,253 in Tokyo versus $468 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 $37.00 in Tokyo versus $32.00 in Sagamihara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $321 – making Sagamihara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Tokyo
🇯🇵 Sagamihara
🕒 Local time
23:04 11:04 PM
23:04 11:04 PM
Same time as Tokyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,613,660 Capital
725,493
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tokyo Sagamihara 37 km
From you
  • Tokyo
  • Sagamihara

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
Tokyo vs Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tokyo or Sagamihara?
Tokyo costs about 32% more than Sagamihara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tokyo and in Sagamihara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,495 per month in Tokyo and $1,886 in Sagamihara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tokyo or Sagamihara?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Tokyo compared to Sagamihara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,663 in Tokyo and $1,257 in Sagamihara. That's a gap of about 32%.
How expensive is transport in Tokyo compared to Sagamihara?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Sagamihara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tokyo or in Sagamihara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sagamihara, where all-in costs run around $1,257, than in Tokyo at $1,663. In Sagamihara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tokyo or Sagamihara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sagamihara costs $1,257 versus $1,663 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tokyo compared to Sagamihara?
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.
Should I move to Tokyo or to Sagamihara?
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.

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