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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Tokyo vs $1,196 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Tokyo vs $1,912 in Sagamihara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,517 per month in Tokyo vs $2,629 in Sagamihara, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Sagamihara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 20% above the global median, while Sagamihara is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$8.47 ¥1,318

-13.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$30.94 ¥4,816

19.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$4.95 ¥771

0.61%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$2.43 ¥379

50.21%

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

$1.69 ¥262

$1.23 ¥191

37.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$0.88 ¥137

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$3.15 ¥490

15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$3.15 ¥491

60.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$0.91 ¥141

70.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$0.65 ¥100

164.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$4.08 ¥635

45.10%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$1.94 ¥301

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$15.45 ¥2,404

-26.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$6.76 ¥1,053

13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$17.01 ¥2,647

18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$2.18 ¥339

137.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$1.60 ¥248

56.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$5.02 ¥782

-7.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$7.69 ¥1,197

-23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$4.05 ¥630

-12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$4.67 ¥727

-26.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.16 ¥181

5.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$0.46 ¥70.8

86.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$3.90 ¥608

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$9.63 ¥1,498

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$2.52 ¥393

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$2.13 ¥332

42.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$1.53 ¥238

-19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$48.05 ¥7,478

40.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$3.17 ¥494

-0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$2.87 ¥447

5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$15.78 ¥2,455

14.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.06 ¥164

-1.89%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

-0.90%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-0.51%

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

$157 ¥24.4K

$114 ¥17.8K

37.19%

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

$22.07 ¥3,435

$23.37 ¥3,637

-5.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$30.34 ¥4,722

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$56.9 ¥8,855

9.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$11.33 ¥1,763

8.56%

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

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$562 ¥87.5K

131.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

22.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$50.0 ¥7,785

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$36.12 ¥5,621

-10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$60.4 ¥9,406

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$98.7 ¥15.4K

-24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$455 ¥70.7K

170.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$317 ¥49.4K

107.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$946 ¥147.2K

150.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$664 ¥103.4K

104.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$4,028 ¥626.9K

117.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$1,872 ¥291.4K

110.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

1.66

16.27%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sagamihara: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,230 in Tokyo versus $455 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 $31.00 in Sagamihara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $318 – making Sagamihara 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

Tokyo vs Sagamihara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 38% more than Sagamihara, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,480 per month in Tokyo and $1,793 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 $1,653 in Tokyo and $1,196 in Sagamihara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% 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 $1,196, than in Tokyo at $1,653. 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 $1,196 versus $1,653 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.