Kamakura vs Sapporo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Kamakura edges it, 68 to 67, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Kamakura is stronger on getting there & around; Sapporo on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Temples, surf and an hour from Tokyo
Full Kamakura profile →Where to stay in Kamakura →Snow, ramen and Japan's most spacious city
Full Sapporo profile →Where to stay in Sapporo →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 21 ✓ | 20 |
| Safety | 94 | 94 |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 |
| Internet | 88 ✓ | 87 |
| Visa ease | 65 | 65 |
| Getting there & around | 80 ✓ | 67 |
| Climate | 8 | 8 |
| Air quality | 89 | 94 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 |
Cost
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $2,700 ✓ | $2,767 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.23 | 0.23 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 87.7 | 87.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 86 | 86 |
| Life expectancy | 84.5 yrs | 84.5 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 86.5 Mbps ✓ | 80.6 Mbps |
| Upload | 65.2 Mbps | 68 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,285/mo | $5,285/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 161 ✓ | 43 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Kamakura | Sapporo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 1 | 1 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.8 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Kamakura or Sapporo?
- Kamakura is cheaper: about $2,700 per month versus $2,767 for one person.
- Is Kamakura or Sapporo safer?
- Kamakura scores higher on safety (94 vs 94), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Kamakura or Sapporo?
- Kamakura: a measured median of 86.5 Mbps versus 80.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.