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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,372 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $2,148 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,924 in Sagamihara, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 23% more than Sagamihara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tokyo and Sagamihara sit above the global median – Tokyo by 26%, Sagamihara by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$8.55 ¥1,368

-5.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$35.14 ¥5,620

37.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$6.13 ¥981

-7.18%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.06 ¥489

16.67%

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

$1.26 ¥202

$1.15 ¥184

9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.71 ¥113

30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$3.47 ¥556

22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$3.21 ¥513

65.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.63 ¥261

-3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.80 ¥288

-11.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.88 ¥780

9.02%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$2.43 ¥388

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$17.19 ¥2,750

-6.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$7.69 ¥1,230

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.19 ¥2,429

52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$9.09 ¥1,455

-42.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$2.82 ¥451

-8.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.92 ¥787

16.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$9.83 ¥1,573

-39.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.88 ¥621

-17.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$2.60 ¥417

35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.32 ¥211

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$1.42 ¥227

-36.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$3.43 ¥549

24.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.30 ¥1,487

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$2.79 ¥447

-22.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.30 ¥368

25.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.59 ¥255

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$56.3 ¥9,001

50.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.37 ¥539

3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$2.92 ¥467

-1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$17.06 ¥2,729

56.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.18 ¥188

3.39%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$23.0K ¥3.7M

1.93%

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

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

2.04%

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

$164 ¥26.2K

$138 ¥22.1K

18.40%

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

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.49 ¥4,398

-3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.85 ¥5,414

0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$55.1 ¥8,816

25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$13.93 ¥2,228

44.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$12.35 ¥1,975

5.75%

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

$506 ¥81.0K

$466 ¥74.5K

8.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$11.2K ¥1.8M

40.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$46.03 ¥7,362

30.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$31.49 ¥5,037

28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$55.4 ¥8,861

16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$91.9 ¥14.7K

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$471 ¥75.4K

132.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$334 ¥53.5K

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$861 ¥137.8K

202.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$661 ¥105.8K

102.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,862 ¥777.7K

122.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,132 ¥341.0K

133.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $471 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 $48.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Sagamihara. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Tokyo vs $407 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 23% 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 $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $2,058 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 $1,684 in Tokyo and $1,372 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 $1,372, than in Tokyo at $1,684. 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 $1,372 versus $1,684 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.