Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Sapporo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Sapporo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,486 in Sapporo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $2,150 in Sapporo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,814 in Sapporo, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 15% more than Sapporo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tokyo and Sapporo sit above the global median – Tokyo by 27%, Sapporo by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$9.76 ¥1,585

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$28.01 ¥4,551

74.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.28 ¥858

3.79%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.79 ¥617

-5.01%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$0.98 ¥160

29.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.84 ¥137

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.38 ¥549

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$6.17 ¥1,002

-11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.51 ¥246

7.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.33 ¥216

13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$7.25 ¥1,178

-26.34%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.84 ¥299

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$8.81 ¥1,432

81.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$7.10 ¥1,154

14.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$21.21 ¥3,446

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.38 ¥549

63.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$3.10 ¥504

-16.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.19 ¥680

41.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$3.99 ¥648

52.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.90 ¥471

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.29 ¥373

48.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.50 ¥243

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.84 ¥136

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$2.97 ¥482

43.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$7.84 ¥1,274

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$2.13 ¥346

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.40 ¥552

-15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.78 ¥289

-16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$51.0 ¥8,290

65.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$4.73 ¥768

-28.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$1.72 ¥280

69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$21.15 ¥3,437

24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.17 ¥191

2.56%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$34.9K ¥5.7M

-32.43%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$17.0K ¥2.8M

1.23%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$314 ¥51.0K

-46.60%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$28.48 ¥4,627

-9.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$43.49 ¥7,065

-22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$54.1 ¥8,796

31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$11.51 ¥1,870

75.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$13.22 ¥2,147

-1.13%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$280 ¥45.5K

76.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$11.0K ¥1.8M

42.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$41.98 ¥6,820

46.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$27.17 ¥4,414

53.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$51.7 ¥8,399

27.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$127 ¥20.6K

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$523 ¥85.0K

114.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$306 ¥49.7K

98.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$749 ¥121.6K

258.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$545 ¥88.6K

146.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$2,183 ¥354.6K

374.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$1,521 ¥247.1K

227.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,725 ¥280.2K

35.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.83

-6.01%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sapporo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo 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 35% higher in Tokyo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo versus $28.00 in Sapporo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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

Tokyo vs Sapporo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tokyo is pricier by about 15%, 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 $2,552 per month in Tokyo 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 $49.00 in Tokyo 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 $1,701 in Tokyo 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 Tokyo at $1,701. In Sapporo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo 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, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.