---
title: "Osaka vs Sapporo for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/osaka-vs-sapporo
description: "Under balanced weights Osaka edges it, 64 to 63, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Osaka is stronger on cost of living, getting there & around; Sapporo on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Osaka vs Sapporo for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Osaka edges it, 64 to 63, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Osaka is stronger on cost of living, getting there & around; Sapporo on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 44 | 22 | Osaka |
| Safety | 98 | 98 | tie |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 | tie |
| Internet | 70 | 84 | Sapporo |
| Visa ease | 61 | 61 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 46 | 36 | Osaka |
| Climate | 0 | 8 | Sapporo |
| Air quality | 90 | 94 | Sapporo |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,719 | $2,813 | Osaka |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $909 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.2 | 0.2 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 85.3 | 85.3 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 86 | 86 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 84.5 yrs | 84.5 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 48.7 Mbps | 80.6 Mbps | Sapporo |
| Upload | 17.2 Mbps | 68 Mbps | Sapporo |

## Visa

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) | Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,169/mo | $5,169/mo | tie |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 80 | 43 | Osaka |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 4 | Osaka |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Osaka | Sapporo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 0 | 1 | Sapporo |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.4 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | Sapporo |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Osaka or Sapporo?

Osaka is cheaper: about $1,719 per month versus $2,813 for one person.

### Is Osaka or Sapporo safer?

Osaka scores higher on safety (98 vs 98), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Osaka or Sapporo?

Sapporo: a measured median of 80.6 Mbps versus 48.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Osaka](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/osaka) · [Sapporo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/sapporo). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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); 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).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/osaka-vs-sapporo