The Hokkaido Prefectural Government has released consumer price index data for September 2026 (Reiwa 8), based on a 2025 (Reiwa 7) baseline, showing that overall prices in Hokkaido rose 0.2% from the previous month to an index value of 103.0 ^[1]. Compared with a year earlier, the overall index rose 3.1% ^[1].

Among the ten major expenditure categories, furniture and household utensils saw the largest monthly rise at 2.4%, followed by clothing and footwear at 0.9%, transportation and communication at 0.3%, and food at 0.1% ^[1]. Housing, education, entertainment and miscellaneous expenses also rose slightly, while fuel, light and water charges fell 0.2% ^[1]. Health care and education showed no change on a monthly basis ^[1].

Within these categories, bedding prices jumped 4.9% and household consumable goods rose 4.2% from the previous month, while beverages rose 3.4% and confectionery rose 3.1% ^[1]. On the other hand, fruit prices fell sharply by 12.0%, cereals dropped 1.4%, transportation fares fell 2.1%, and gas charges declined 1.6% ^[1].

Looking at fresh food specifically, fresh fish and shellfish prices rose to an index of 114.6 but fell 0.4% from the previous month, fresh vegetables fell 2.3% to 94.1, and fresh fruit dropped sharply by 13.3% to 94.3 ^[1].

On a year-on-year basis, fuel, light and water charges rose 7.8%, furniture and household utensils rose 7.1%, food rose 3.7%, transportation and communication rose 3.6%, health care rose 2.7%, and entertainment rose 3.1% ^[1]. Education was the only category to fall year-on-year, dropping 7.2% ^[1].

The data were compiled by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau and cover retail price surveys conducted in the Hokkaido cities and towns of Sapporo, Hakodate, Asahikawa, Muroran, Bibai, Nayoro, Chitose, Kitahiroshima, Kutchan and Bihoro ^[1]. The prefectural government noted that monthly and year-on-year percentage changes may not exactly match figures calculated independently from the published index due to rounding ^[1].

The full statistical tables and long-term historical data back to 1970 are available through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau's website and the e-Stat portal, as referenced in the Hokkaido government's release ^[1]. For foreign residents tracking living costs in Hokkaido, this report offers an official month-by-month and year-on-year snapshot of price movements across major household spending categories ^[1].

Source credit 出典：「消費者物価指数（令和8年（2026年）9月分）」（北海道）（https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/000cpi/273173.html）、CC BY 4.0（https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ja）を加工してJapan News (j.apan.news)が作成 This article is Japan News's own English summary of the Japanese original. It has been translated and edited by Japan News; it is not an official translation, and the Hokkaido Prefectural Government did not write or review it.