Average Cost of a House in Asahikawa, Hokkaido

As Hokkaido real estate consultants, we receive client requests for Asahikawa real estate. In this post, we will focus on the average Asahikawa house prices, as well as average price estimates for Asahikawa condominiums.

When you’re ready to talk to local real estate agents in Asahikawa and to see property in person, contact us for a personalized introduction to a local agent.

Asahikawa is the second largest city in Hokkaido (after Sapporo). The the population of Asahikawa is 320,000 residents. Below we present some details about Asahikawa property, including the average price for a house in Asahikawa, price comparisons between detached homes and condominiums in Asahikawa, comparisons to detached homes in Sapporo, and some details on the decision to rent vs buy property in Asahikawa and its surrounding areas.

Average Asahikawa House Prices

How much does it cost to buy a house in Asahikawa?

Based on our review of various government data from recent years, the average price for a detached home in Asahikawa is ¥11,710,000 (or approximately $80,000 USD, as of 2024).

The cost to buy a single-family home in Asahikawa is lower than many other major Japanese cities. While it is difficult to obtain a real estate loan as a foreigner in Japan, the low selling price for Asahikawa homes might make an all-cash purchase of a home possible. Compared to more central areas like Sapporo or popular Niseko real estate, Asahikawa could be a much more affordable choice for many buyers as they look for property in Hokkaido.

Housing Prices in Asahikawa

Using data from the Japanese multiple listing service REINS, we can provide some details on the cost for a house in Asahikawa.

While the “average” cost for a home in Asahikawa is ¥11,710,000, this is an overall average, and includes houses in very different parts of the city, in both good and poor condition, older and new buildings, etc. For a more accurate estimate of the cost to buy a house in Asahikawa, it helps to specify location, age of the structure, quality of the construction, and other factors.

Home Prices in Asahikawa

Recent data shows that the average price for a two bedroom house in Asahikawa is ¥12,700,000 (or $86,500 USD, as of mid-2024). This is the average between 25 properties over two years, so a few outliers have pushed this number up. For three bedroom houses, the average price is ¥11,150,000 across 100 properties, which is much more reliable and closer to the average. There are over 400 more records of sold property, all with a structure of four bedrooms or more and averaging at ¥11,800,000.

Average price for a Condominium in Asahikawa

Naturally, there are condominiums in Asahikawa as well (what the Japanese call Asahikawa “mansions”).

The average price for an Asahikawa condominium is ¥8,700,000 (or $59,000 USD as of mid-2024). This is lower than the average price of a detached Asahikawa home, but would make sense considering the size of the living space.

There are no records (at least in the past 2 years) of a “one room home” in Asahikawa, but there have been a few Asahikawa studio apartment sales. The average price is ¥1,200,000 ($8,200 USD as of mid-2024). That is a surprisingly low number, but when you imagine that there are multiple mansions in the same building (all built on the same land), and that studio condominiums in Asahikawa could be very small, you can better understand how that low price could be possible.

Adding a bedroom, a 1LDK condominium in Asahikawa has an average price of ¥11,800,000 ($80,000 USD). Looking at the data, there are a few outlier properties that have been very recently built, with excellent locations very near to Asahikawa station. Disregarding these prime properties, the average comes down to ¥3,000,000 ($20,000 USD), which is representative of a typical Asahikawa condo.

As you move up to two bedroom condominiums in Asahikawa, the price increases substantially, but so does the number of choices. According to recent sales data, the average price for a 2LDK Asahikawa apartment is ¥8,200,000 ($56,000 USD). Looking at the data for recently sold condominiums in Asahikawa, 2LDK units are the most common size for Asahikawa condominiums.

It may be interesting to note that the majority of condos for sale in Asahikawa are 2LDK, but the majority of apartment rentals in Asahikawa are one-bedroom and studio units. This may be a key difference in the needs of buyers versus renters. While buyers might need more space, and perhaps are more likely to be families, renters might be more inclined to want low-cost options, and thus tend to choose smaller units.

The average price of condominiums that have 3 bedrooms or more: ¥9,000,000 ($61,000 USD). This is not much of an increase over the average price for a 2LDK Asahikawa condo.

Asahikawa Housing Costs vs a House in Sapporo

In our report about Sapporo housing costs, we show that the average cost of a house in Sapporo is ¥27,552,800 (or ~$184,000 USD as of late 2023). Comparing Sapporo and Asahikawa home prices shows that Sapporo houses are 100% more expensive than Asahikawa houses. Recent data also shows significant appreciation of Sapporo land prices; this difference in value between Sapporo and Asahikawa may grow even larger as demand for Sapporo property increases.

Asahikawa and Sapporo are very different cities, located in geographically different areas, with very different populations. The lower cost to purchase a home in Asahikawa will be the deciding factor for some buyers. Along with the higher prices in Sapporo comes opportunities for work, better transportation, better entertainment options, and access to the international schools in Hokkaido, which can be favorable to other buyers.

Buying a House in Asahikawa vs Renting an Apartment

An alternative option to buying a house in Asahikawa is renting an Asahikawa apartment. We provide more details on apartments for rent in Asahikawa in a separate post, but as a rough estimate, the average cost for an Asahikawa apartment is approximately ¥51,000 (about $350 USD) per month.

Depending on their budget, cash on hand, length of planned stay, and other factors, many residents of Asahikawa choose to buy, rather than rent a Asahikawa house/condominium.

What is “Average?”

When we talk about “average prices,” your choices can have a big impact on what you might pay for an Asahikawa home for sale. As usual, the proximity to the train station, the size of the unit, the year it was constructed, the choices of materials, the access to roads that offer snow removal (vs those that do not), can make a big difference in what you might pay for an Asahikawa home.

Land for Sale in Asahikawa

Of course, you also have the option to buy land in Asahikawa, and then work with a Hokkaido architect or a local builder to construct a custom home.

Real estate values in the Asahikawa region have experienced mild growth in recent years, and the access to high-demand property in Furano may mean property in Asahikawa will continue to appreciate with time.

Real Estate Agents in Asahikawa

We make person-to-person introductions to prescreened real estate agents in Asahikawa.

Working with a local Asahikawa real estate agent, you can get recommendations about where to live, specific details about pricing and resale trends, and make in-person visits to help you rent an Asahikawa apartment or to see available Asahikawa houses for sale. Contact us and we will find you an available agent to help you learn more.

Our service is free to you.

We work for you, not the real estate companies.

We provide person-to-person introductions to prescreened agents that help you sell, buy, lease, or rent property in Hokkaido. We search our custom database to connect you to real estate professionals that speak your language, address your needs and are available now to help you find what you want.

Local. Trusted. 100% free to you.

To Get Started

1. Contact Us or Call NOW:

Phone

• (+81) 50 5806-5302
• (+1) 833-893-0711

For More Information:

— Our post on The Average Price of an Apartment in Asahikawa
— Details on the Land Prices in Asahikawa
— The Population of the City of Asahikawa and Foreigners living in Asahikawa
— Find Lawyers in Hokkaido
— Tax Offices in Sapporo
— Our Taxes in Japan page
— Buying Property in Hokkaido as a Foreigner
— The best Books about Real Estate in Japan
— The best Niseko Ski Videos featuring Snowboarding in Niseko and other locations