Living in Sakai
In Sakai (Osaka Prefecture), rents across existing tenancies average €7.45 per m² a month (2023).
Sakai registered an unemployment rate of 4.54% at the end of 2020.
Pricier rent than 74% of Japanese cities that publish it, higher unemployment than 81% of Japanese cities that publish it and dirtier air than 94% of Japanese cities that publish it.
Which Japan-wide rules apply when you move to Sakai?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
Japan's Housing and Land Survey monthly-rent measure excludes security deposits, key money/right money and common-area charges. The Ministry of Land says deposit terms vary by regional custom; these sources provide context, not a comparable city-level distribution. Statistics Bureau glossary (2018) · MLIT rental-housing Q&A.
How much does it cost to rent in Sakai?
Average net cold rent is about 7.45 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges.
Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.
- Average net rent (nettokalt): 7.45 EUR/m²/month · www.e-stat.go.jp13
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 31.61 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | ドコモ光 月額料金 — NTTドコモ15Official · national market |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 21.56 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | docomo mini 10GB2Official · national market |
| Housing vacancy rate | 12.9 % | 31 Oct 2023 | 2023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status1Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 7.45 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.27 | 31 Dec 2023 | www.e-stat.go.jp13Official |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 349.5 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2023 | Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura4Official |
Is Sakai a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 447 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of about 7.45 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.
Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.
Work and income
What is the unemployment rate in Sakai?
The unemployment rate is about 4.5 % (October 2020).
- Unemployment rate: 4.54 % · 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)18
Sakai 4.5%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public employment offices | 1 count | 15 Sept 2026 | Osaka Hello Work — office list9Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 323.6 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | www.e-stat.go.jp14Official |
| Unemployment rate | 4.54 %country median 3.8% | 31 Dec 2020 | 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)18Official |
What does a salary buy in Sakai?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentInternetMobile
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | outside the model's range |
| Rent, 60 m²€7.45/m² · official · e-stat.go.jp · 2023-12-31 | − €447 |
| Internet€32 · official · ドコモ光 月額料金 · 2026-09-30 | − €32 |
| Mobile plan€22 · official · docomo mini 10GB · 2026-09-30 | − €22 |
| Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities | — |
| Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish | — |
Public employment offices in Sakai
Osaka Hello Work lists 1 public employment office in Sakai (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.
Hello Work — Public employment service
The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.
Family and education
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public language course providers | 1 count | 31 May 2026 | Japanese Lessons in Sakai City5Official |
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 244.1 per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | 令和6年医師・歯科医師・薬剤師統計 医師 第22表16Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Sakai when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
How safe is Sakai?
Police recorded about 814 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: JP-27-Osaka-20256
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglaries per 100,000 residents | 4.16 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | JP-27-Osaka-20256Official |
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 814 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | JP-27-Osaka-20256Official |
| Violent crime per 100,000 residents | 49.45 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | JP-27-Osaka-20256Official |
Mobility and administration
Sakai's nearest airport was ITM, 22 km away and offered 22 direct destinations.
Language courses and integration in Sakai
Japanese Lessons in Sakai City lists 1 publicly funded course provider in Sakai (checked 2026-09-16). Their individual addresses are not listed here yet; the national programme below explains who can enrol and how.
Japanese Language Education Program for Foreigners Living in Japan — State Language Course
Agency for Cultural Affairs
For foreigners living in Japan.
Climate and air quality
Is the air quality good in Sakai?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 10.9 µg/m³ (2023) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
- PM2.5 — annual mean: 10.88 µg/m³ · NIES monthly PM2.5 station means annualized to calendar 20237
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
hours
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Sakai 10.9
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 10.88 µg/m³country median 8.4 | 31 Dec 2023 | NIES monthly PM2.5 station means annualized to calendar 20237Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 9.7 · Feb 10.5 · Mar 14.2 · Apr 19.9 · May 24.9 · Jun 28 · Jul 31.8 · Aug 33.7 · Sep 29.5 · Oct 23.7 · Nov 17.8 · Dec 12.3 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA12Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 3 · Feb 3.2 · Mar 6 · Apr 10.9 · May 16 · Jun 20.3 · Jul 24.6 · Aug 25.8 · Sep 21.9 · Oct 16 · Nov 10.2 · Dec 5.3 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA12Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 6.2 · Feb 6.6 · Mar 9.9 · Apr 15.2 · May 20.1 · Jun 23.6 · Jul 27.7 · Aug 29 · Sep 25.2 · Oct 19.5 · Nov 13.8 · Dec 8.7 °C | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA12Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 47 · Feb 60.5 · Mar 103.1 · Apr 101.9 · May 136.5 · Jun 185.1 · Jul 174.4 · Aug 113 · Sep 152.8 · Oct 136 · Nov 72.5 · Dec 55.5 mm | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA12Official · nearest-station reading |
| Average sunshine by month | Jan 146.5 · Feb 140.6 · Mar 172.2 · Apr 192.6 · May 203.7 · Jun 154.3 · Jul 184 · Aug 222.4 · Sep 161.6 · Oct 166.1 · Nov 152.6 · Dec 152.1 hours | 1991–2020 | WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA12Official · nearest-station reading |
Similar climate. In Japan: Marugame ±0.6 °C. Elsewhere: Little Rock (United States) ±2.3 °C, Carrollton (United States) ±2.5 °C, Lewisville (United States) ±2.5 °C, Oklahoma City (United States) ±2.9 °C, Murfreesboro (United States) ±3.2 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month
Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.
Population and city profile
Population density was 5,514 people per km² at the end of 2020.
How many people live in Sakai?
The published population was 809,032 people in January 2026. Source: Resident Register Population, Population Movement and Number of Households Survey — Total, 1 January 202611
By nationality
National passport97.3%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| City area | 149.8 km² | 3 Aug 2026 | 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)17Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 2.69 % | 3 Aug 2026 | 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民 ÷ 総計)20Official |
| Foreign residents | 21,773 people | 3 Aug 2026 | 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民)20Official |
| Population density | 5,514 people/km² | 31 Dec 2020 | 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表)19Official |
| Population | 809,032 people | 1 Jan 2026 | Resident Register Population, Population Movement and Number of Households Survey — Total, 1 January 202611Official |
International community in Sakai
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Citizenship
Persons in the official 2020 Population Census Basic Complete Tabulation on Population and Households; sex-total population by source-native nationality category. · 2020
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 826,161 | 100.0% |
| Japanese | 799,358 | 96.8% |
| Nationality not reported | 14,317 | 1.7% |
| Foreigner | 12,486 | 1.5% |
| People's Republic of China | 4,520 | 0.5% |
| Republic of Korea | 3,395 | 0.4% |
| Socialist Republic of Viet Nam | 2,000 | 0.2% |
| Others | 788 | 0.1% |
| Republic of the Philippines | 727 | 0.1% |
| Federative Republic of Brazil | 321 | 0.0% |
| Republic of Peru | 181 | 0.0% |
Show 6 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Thailand | 158 | 0.0% |
| United States of America | 136 | 0.0% |
| Republic of Indonesia | 88 | 0.0% |
| Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal | 84 | 0.0% |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 60 | 0.0% |
| India | 28 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source3
Alternatives for people set on Sakai
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Hirakata as a Sakai alternative in the same region
31 km away, better on 2 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 457 Hirakata vs 814 Sakai−44%
- Foreign residents: 1.8% Hirakata vs 2.7% Sakai−32%
- Residents: 390,926 Hirakata vs 809,032 Sakai−52%
- Unemployment: 4.2% Hirakata vs 4.5% Sakai−7%
- Empty flats: 11.4% Hirakata vs 12.9% Sakai−11%
- Rent: €7.61/m² Hirakata vs €7.45/m² Sakaisame level
- Median gross pay, region: €323 Hirakata vs €324 Sakaisame level
Hamamatsu as a Sakai alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 207 km, better on 2 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Foreign residents: 4.0% Hamamatsu vs 2.7% Sakai+49%
- Unemployment: 3.8% Hamamatsu vs 4.5% Sakai−15%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 471 Hamamatsu vs 814 Sakaino percentage
- Median gross pay, region: €311 Hamamatsu vs €324 Sakai−4%
- Residents: 778,346 Hamamatsu vs 809,032 Sakai−4%
- Rent: €7.41/m² Hamamatsu vs €7.45/m² Sakaisame level
- Empty flats: 12.8% Hamamatsu vs 12.9% Sakaisame level
Cities near Sakai
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Rent
- 7.23 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 7.08 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 7.36 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 6.62 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 7.36 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 6.96 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 6.75 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 10.65 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
Alternative cities in Japan
Other cities in Japan to compare with Sakai, nearest in population first.
How does Sakai compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Sakai's.
Sakai in rankings
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Sakai?
The published population was 809,032 people in January 2026. Source: Resident Register Population, Population Movement and Number of Households Survey — Total, 1 January 2026.
How much does it cost to rent in Sakai?
Average net cold rent is about 7.45 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 521 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.
Is the air quality good in Sakai?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 10.9 µg/m³ (2023) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: NIES monthly PM2.5 station means annualized to calendar 2023.
How safe is Sakai?
Police recorded about 814 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: JP-27-Osaka-2025.
What is the unemployment rate in Sakai?
The unemployment rate is about 4.5 % (October 2020). Source: 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表).
What is the typical salary around Sakai?
The median gross salary is 323.6 EUR/month. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.
Is Sakai a good place to live?
Sakai may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near Sakai?
Matsubara, Takaishi, Izumiōtsu, Izumi, Fujiidera are near Sakai. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people are in the Japanese citizenship group in Sakai?
The official citizenship distribution records 799,358 people (96.8%) in the source-defined population for 2020. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Sakai (Osaka Prefecture), Japan: population, rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 84e8c6953e80a2565de76a4c2d0d642c]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/sakai-32-1853167/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_sakai-osaka-prefecture-japan-population-rent-salary_373874299af2,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Sakai (Osaka Prefecture), Japan: population, rent, salary},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {84e8c6953e80a2565de76a4c2d0d642c},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/sakai-32-1853167/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Sakai (Osaka Prefecture), Japan: population, rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/sakai-32-1853167/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 84e8c6953e80a2565de76a4c2d0d642c; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- 2023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-17
- docomo mini 10GB docomo.ne.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- e-Stat / Statistics Bureau of Japan 2020 Population Census table 44-1 nationality e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-01
- Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-12
- Japanese Lessons in Sakai City city.sakai.lg.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- JP-27-Osaka-2025 police.pref.osaka.lg.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- NIES monthly PM2.5 station means annualized to calendar 2023 gis.nies.go.jp · checked 2026-09-23
- OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
- Osaka Hello Work — office list Osaka Hello Work · jsite.mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Show 19 more sources
- Resident Register Population, Population Movement and Number of Households Survey — Total, 1 January 2026 Resident Register Population, Population Movement and Number of Households Survey · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-10
- WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station OSAKA WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
- www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
- www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
- ドコモ光 月額料金 — NTTドコモ ドコモ光 月額料金 · docomo.ne.jp · checked 2026-09-19
- 令和6年医師・歯科医師・薬剤師統計 医師 第22表 e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-16
- 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan) gsi.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民) soumu.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1347139 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q35765 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q385864 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q634011 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q774952 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.