I finally got down to writing this when I’m about to leave in less than a month’s time.
Accommodation
I lived in Musashino city for around 15 months before moving to Edogawa-ku. First, the Musashino city apartment was around 20 minutes walk from the station although there’s a bus to the station 3 minutes’ walk away. My place was around 24.4sqm with a room of a little under 7 tatami-mat size. No furniture included. The bath and toilet are separate, and there’s another wash basin area separate from the bath, plus a relatively spacious kitchen. Being outside the 23 wards, it is supposed to be cheaper than many places, but at the same time, it is very near to Kichijoji, the unwavering number 1 location Tokyoites want to live in. Where I lived was pretty far out the big city and a little countryside-ish. However, as it was a relatively new place when I moved in (only 7 years since completion of construction then), it was also slightly more expensive than other places (but still on the cheaper end for Tokyo). The rent was ¥68,000 yen/month including 共益費 (managing fees (?)), and utilities would come up to around ¥4,000 to ¥7,000/mth depending on your usage. It’s usually higher in the winter when you use the air-conditioner to warm up your room + the heater to get the warm water running. But again, there are people who use the cooler for the room and heater for the bath during summer as well. I even know people who pay over ¥10,000 for utilities alone.
My place in Edogawa-ku was slightly cheaper at ¥61,000 and it comes with an indoor swimming pool. The pool can only be used in the summer for obvious reasons although it’s indoors. I live on the 5th floor where I can see the Skytree in full view from my corridor and possibly see the fireworks display in Shinozaki from my room. Utilities in general don’t differ too greatly, and Edogawa-ku being further from the city area and nearer to Chiba, is slightly cheaper than other areas. Of course there are apartments that cost less than ¥40,000 as well, depending on what you want. I also have friends living close to the Roppongi area paying ¥180,000 per month. But of course her room is much bigger and nicer.
Food
It depends on what kind of food you want to have. I consider myself to be leading the less lavish kind of lifestyle, so my meals are typically under ¥1,000 but that would still come up to a little over ¥2,000 per day. An entire month would make it around ¥60,000. But if you rather scrimp and save, there are places like Sukiya, Matsuya, Yoshinoya, Nakau, etc. that serve rice bowls and set meals at between ¥200 to ¥800, so it’s not impossible to just spend ¥1,000 a day on meals.
Internet
Since moving to Tokyo, I’ve been using fibre-optic connection. While in Musashino, the apartment I was in only had a total of 8 units, so logically, Internet subscription fees are more expensive since the company makes less profit laying the cable to the building. While in Musashino, I paid around ¥5,000 per month for the connection. At my current place in Edogawa-ku, there are around 30 units, so my Internet bill has gone down to under ¥3,000/mth. It’s possible for the set-up to be done on weekends here.
Mobile phone
I got my smartphone, a green Aquos 103sh, and opted to pay the cost of the phone itself by 24-month installment (the duration of the contract for the line). The phone I am using has every possible function that a phone doesn’t need, so it is more expensive. Yes, I can take the train and pay for things at conveniences stores, vending machines, etc. with my phone. It costs around ¥70,000 and including the line which costs around ¥6,000, I am paying around ¥9,000 every month. Apple fans would be happy to know the line for the iPhone is cheaper than the one for Android phones. iPhone subscription rates are at around ¥4,500 a month.
While there are no free outgoing calls, Softbank to Softbank calls are free from 1am to 9pm everyday; Au users can choose unlimited calls to up to three other Au numbers; no clue about Docomo. Internet usage is unlimited at the above prices. All incoming calls are free. SMSes across carriers come at a charge but are free if sent to users of the same line, which is why everyone uses a phone email. The phone email is pretty much the same as an SMS, except that you enter an email address instead of a phone number, and you can type as much as you want. No additional costs nor setup required. Except that if you don’t set it up, your email address would look something like fe8io43rh903@softbank.ne.jp.
Transport
Transportation is in general covered by the company that hires you. While it is uncommon for Japanese firms to have sick leave benefits, it is a common practice to have your transportation covered. I spend around ¥14,000 a month on transport but the company covers the commuter’s pass to work, so if even during weekends I travel along the same line as the one I take to work, I practically don’t have to pay for transportation. But note that in Japan, the commuter’s pass is only applicable to any destination within the two points you bought. You can alight at any stop between, but if you exceed those stops, you would have to pay any additional. For example, the train station goes like this:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J
If you have a pass that goes from B to G, you don’t have to pay even if you board and alight at C, D, E, or F. But say, if you board at A and alight at I, then you’ll have to pay the additional charges from A to B and G to I.
Commuter pass aside, it is generally true that JR lines are cheaper than private railway but, many private railways here are still cheaper than Nagoya’s Meitetsu.
Overall
For reasons I don’t know, I seem to be spending around ¥150,000 a month since I moved to Tokyo. Everytime it seems like I could save ¥100,000 that month, I’m almost always down to zero at the end of the month. I have no clue where those money went to. It might’ve been the moving and settling down costs, and a little travelling. It doesn’t seem so bad until I start calculating and realise I’ve spent $10,000 on moving alone this past 3 years. I do manage to save some amount every month, but without the moving, I could’ve saved another $10,000. Ah well, moving to a new place is fun in its right.
Hi! I was wondering if you have any advice on renting apartments in central Tokyo for 2 to 3 months? Thanks!
Hi hzl,
I’m not so sure about advice, but I do have a Taiwanese friend who rents an apartment in Adachi-ku. If you’re interested I could get her to contact you.
Her place has got 3 rooms but she’s living there herself so she’s open to renting the vacant rooms out to anyone interested even if it’s for a short period.
If you’re alright with that, I’ll just pass her your email address.
hi hzl,
i am a holder of japeneese government scholarship,i am willing to move to japan next year.my budget would be around117000yen each month.would it be enough for renting a small apartment of one room+toilet and shower and kitchen and utilities and living expenses.pls provide me with any informations that can help me make a plan of my life in japan.and how is it the life there in tokyo ?is it dangerous when it comes to natural disasters?.
thank you
your sincerely,
sali
Hi sali,
I realise your comment is addressed to hzl but in any case, let me offer my 2 cents worth. If you’re referring to Tokyo, I’d set the conservative rental cost at around 55,000 to 60,000 yen per month, and utilities at 5000 yen. That would leave you between 52,000 to 57,000 a month for transportation, food, and leisure. Depending on your lifestyle, it could be just enough to get you by without anything to save, or it might not be enough. If you’re referring to the countryside, your rental can even go down to 40,000 yen. Of course, if you don’t mind slightly inconvenient, old, small, and dirty places, you might be able to rent even cheaper places, though I wouldn’t recommend that.
Please note, however, that the initial costs are much higher as you’d have to pay agent fees, cleaning fees, sterilization fees, miscellaneous fees, etc. as well as deposit and key money (if any). I would recommend setting aside 300,000 yen to be safe.
As for natural disasters, it’s really hard to say. I’ve been here over 4 years now and have experienced so many earthquakes and typhoons, I’ve lost count. The quakes are typically weak, with occasional strong ones. I can’t say for sure how safe or dangerous they are although they are mostly not life threatening since I’m still alive. But as with the March 11 quake and tsunami in 2011, which took away over 20,000 lives and caused shortage of food, as well as the nuclear disaster, it can be dangerous too. 3 years ago, experts have predicted another major earthquake that could level the March 11 one to happen in the Tokai area within the next 30 years. 30 years is really long, but it is said that it can happen anytime. Could be now, could be tomorrow, could be 25 years from now. No idea. I suppose the stretch from Kanagawa to Aichi are quite dangerous. Nobody knows for sure.
If you’re just worried about the strength of buildings, you can be assured that they are mostly earthquake resistant. When you rent an apartment, there should be a clause in the contract that identifies whether the area is marked as an earthquake/tsunami prone area.
Bests,
Hello, you mentioned spending ¥150,000 a month after moving to Tokyo. What items were included in this sum?
Hi Victor,
I couldn’t remember what I wrote and had to read it again, and realised that I wrote that I didn’t know the reasons for my expenditure.
I think that excluded rent and utilities so it was probably like:
Food: 60,000
Leisure: 90,000
Bearing in mind I did travel a bit, that’s why the leisure cost was a bit high.
Hi Jin Han,
Thanks for the reply. That’s not too far off from my own estimates then.
Anyways, I’ll be joining the pool of “Singaporeans in Japan” next month (wait, are there even so many Singaporeans in Japan?) and am working on my preparations now.
From job search to expenditure, and all the little things along the way, I plan to pen them all down on my new blog.
Any and all comments are welcomed of course.
Keep in touch!
Victor
You’re welcome Victor. I guess there are more Singaporeans than we think there are, but in any case, it’ll be great that you can provide more information about Japan from a different perspective. On a separate note, please bear in mind that you’ll have to pay insurance, residence tax, and pension if you are working (you are exempted from paying pension for the first year). The 150,000 yen I wrote doesn’t include all these since they are automatically taken off my pay.
Hi JinHan,
Thanks. I’m already well aware of this. Also, part of the variance taxes and insurance may be covered by the employer. ie. Your gross pay is closer to your take home pay. I will certainly share all these in details in time (even if not many people are interested).
Hi Jinhan,
Fellow Singaporean here. Been reading your blog ever since I decided to study Japanese full-time in Japan. I will be starting school in Tokyo this Oct and is currently looking for apartments. I need some opinions to prevent getting chop carrot.
Is the rent of ~65000JPY for a 16-17 sqm 1k apartment located 10-12min from Iriya and Uguisudani station too expensive? Unfurnished, ground floor, looks new, wooden flooring, 2 gas stoves, air-con, walk-in closet with ceiling shelving thingy, unit bath. I think there’s a mid sized fridge, not sure yet. Got sunlight, no view. Balcony window facing a high stone wall of neighbouring house. Utilities not included. No reikin.
It’s within my budget but I can’t help but feel that it’s expensive. Then again everything seems expensive in Tokyo. What do you think?
Hi J,
Thank you for reading.
Regarding the rent, up to 65,000 yen sounds about right given that it’s not too far from Tokyo Skytree, and its proximity to Ueno.
You’ve provided quite a bit of info and based on your description (especially with the walk-in closet), it sounds like the unit is a relatively new one. If it is, then I feel 65,000 is a reasonable deal. But there are other factors which affect the cost like, how old is the building, how many floors/units does it have, which direction does the window face, does it have auto-lock on the first floor, how much is the 共益費, is there 内装金 or deposit, is it a corner unit, is it fibre optic ready? If it’s new, it probably is. If it’s not fibre optic ready, I don’t think it’s worth anything above 60,000 especially when the living space is smaller than 18 sqm and that you’re on the first floor.
Buildings under 10 years old are usually more expensive, as well as one that has many floors and units, not to mention one with auto-lock. But the good thing with buildings with many units is that internet will be much cheaper. Older buildings that are newly renovated may come with 内装金 that you have to pay before moving in. The money won’t be returned to you when you move out, but that would also mean you don’t have to pay cleaning fees when you move out. And that also means there’s no deposit. Corner units and those with windows facing the south are also typically slightly more expensive than other similar units because corner units mean that you only have a neighbour to one side of your wall, reducing the possibility of noise pollution, and windows facing the south means you get even sunlight throughout the day (units with windows facing the north typically do not get enough sunlight). No reikin is good news though because I never want to pay reikin ever again. It just doesn’t make sense to me. So if you’ve got a south-facing corner unit in a building less than 10 years or even 15 years old with auto-lock, that sounds like a good deal.
I’ve rented apartments up to 68,000 yen but I try to avoid hitting 70,000 because of my financial status, and also because I’d rather use that money elsewhere. Since it’s within your budget, I guess it’s ok. Anything below 68,000 yen is reasonable to me although I usually choose a slightly older room that is at least 18 sqm big, but that’s just a personal preference. I’ve come to not be bothered that much about size so if I were to move again, I probably won’t mind something smaller.
One last thing: That the balcony window is facing a high stone wall gives you the chance to ask for lower rent. At my current apartment, the original rent was 56,000 yen. I asked for a unit less than 10 minutes away from the station but the agent found me this one that is 12 to 15 minutes away, so he guaranteed a 1,000 yen off my rent and said he will try to negotiate a further 1,000 yen off to make it 54,000/mth. Later, he revealed that the auto-deduction of rent requires a processing fee of around 500 yen, and that sounds like nonsense to me, because processing fees usually only occur for manual payment transfers. So I told him, I’m not going to pay the processing fee for an auto-deduct and asked him to shave a further 1,000 yen off if that’s the case. So he said he will guarantee a 54,000 yen rent and will try to negotiate that further 1,000 yen off. In the end, he succeeded in the negotiation and that made my current rent 53,000 yen plus around 500 yen processing fee. Do note that 3,000 yen cuts in rentals are very rare so I wouldn’t suggest you push them too hard. Usually, a 1,000 yen discount is decent enough. Another tip is that, if there is 共益費 involved and they tell you they cannot reduce the rent, ask them to reduce the 共益費. It’s the same to us but appears that it’s different for the owners because I once met an owner who declined to cut the rent but offered to cut the 共益費.
I’m not sure all these random info is useful at all but if you’ve got more specific questions, feel free to ask away.
Bests,
Thanks for all the useful info! I negotiated with the agent based on your balcony suggestion but that didn’t work. On the plus side, besides the rent, there are only insurance, cleaning fee and security deposit (cause I’m a self-sponsored student).
The window is south / south-east facing but at ground level it probably won’t be able to take full advantage of it. I decided to rent that apartment because it’s only 3km from the school I’m attending. I walk that distance to work in Sg (can’t stand the trains here anymore) so that’s quite alright with me.
Furniture and appliance rental is a rip-off though – 1000-2000JPY per item! I opted to get my own stuff instead. Hope that there’s a cheap place nearby to get a futon set or I’ll be sleeping on the floor for a couple of nights.
Do you happen to know of any good / trustworthy stores for 2nd-hand appliances in central Tokyo?
Well, no harm having tried I guess? Among the 7 apartments I’ve rented to far, I only got discount for 3 of them. So it really is pretty much a 50-50 chance.
It sounds like the place is good for you and southeast is definitely better than east. My current balcony window faces the east so it’s really hot in the morning during summer. And I think you made a good decision to buy instead of rent. Unfortunately, I don’t know about second-hand shops in central Tokyo. Can’t be of help there.
Hello, you mentioned you were leaving Japan? I’m just thinking of checking with you where are chances og writing to those ALT schools you suggested previously because I’m thinking of working join Japan too!! Another question, what’s the chance of foreign aliens retiring in Japan? Thanks!
Jo
Sorry for those auto correct typo errors :p I meant “what are the chances..working and living in Japan…” Thanks!
Jo
Hi Josie,
Some plans changed so I won’t be leaving at least for the next couple of years, but I’m not sure what’s gonna happen after that. I wouldn’t know what the chances are, and I think you should just write in and see what happens. As for retirement, if you continue working here till the age of retirement, I don’t see a problem. But you should probably apply for permanent residence after 10 years (5 of which as a working adult).
That’s nice….I’m still in Tokyo but going back in few hours, been coming here for trips frequently and the sudden thought of moving here let me chanced upon your blog while I google for teaching in Japan 🙂 however I have no teaching degree, just a Master degree in Social Work from NUS, I’ve been a counselor and medical social worker in Spore but have had many years of experience teaching in Malaysia though, not English, just Business Communication in English and also in an IB school developing their diploma program. Not too sure how this will work out, I’m also looking at the Yamasa school which you recommended to take up Japanese studies for a start but the fees look kinda expensive….I may try writing in direct tithe ew links you suggested.
Wow, personally, I find your experience quite impressive. Most foreign teachers here do not have teaching qualifications nor experience anyway, so I don’t see much problems especially with such a resume as yours. All the best to you.
Hi Jin Han,
I’ve recently moved to Japan and only just chanced upon your blog! It was not easy getting an apartment and my rent is on the high side. 🙁 Now I’ll have to wait at least a year before I can change to a new place…
Hi Jinhan. Hope all is great with you. I’m moving to Tokyo by end August. I’ve been looking for apartments and it’s a challenge. I thought Singapore was already expensive when it comes to rent, but man, Tokyo is turning out to be a lot more expensive. Hehe! Maybe I dunno where to look but I couldn’t even find an apartment for 60K~70K. All I can find with that budget are tiny rooms in share houses. Hehe! I’m thinking of settling for a room in a share house for now. When I’m more familiar with how things work over there, then I’ll start searching for a place of my own. Thank you very much for all your tips. They’ve been most helpful! I’m saddened to leave Singapore after almost 6 years but I’m also looking forward to the new life in Tokyo. Cheers!
Hey Angelo,
I’m glad to hear that you’re moving over! Apologies for the late response because I must’ve changed some settings that I no longer receive comment notifications. I’m surprised you aren’t able to get an apartment for under 70,000 yen because there are plenty around. In my 6.5 years here, never have I spent over 70,000 for rent, which is why I’m guessing perhaps you might have more requirements in looking for an apartment than I do. For me, a 1K (1 bedroom and kitchen) room that is bigger than 20sqm, uses flooring instead of tatami mat, has air-conditioner, a bath and toilet and is within 15 mins walk from the station is fine. And I don’t look for apartments in high-end areas like Akasaka, Roppongi, or Shibuya. It then boils down to whether I feel like I can live in the room when I first step into it. It doesn’t bother me if it’s old.
Thanks for leaving a note! I really appreciate it!
Hi Jinhan. No worries, appreciate the reply! 🙂 I think I was unable to find an apartment for under 70K yen because of a.) language – I did find some sites for renting apartments but they were mostly in Japanese. I speak very little Japanese and I can only read kana characters. Lol! Still, I emailed the real estate agents but I never got a reply; b.) location – the learning studio I’m going to work for is in Otemachi. The share house I found is in Horikirishobuen (Travel one way is about 25 minutes). Since I had to make a decision before I get there, I just decided to go with this share house for now. I did think about getting a place outside of Tokyo, but I thought that my expenses may turn out to be the same if I spend a lot on my daily commute. Eventually, I would love to rent my own space and I don’t even need a big one. Haha!
Sorry to bother you and I know you already wrote about it. When you have the time, could you maybe tell me a bit more about mobile phone subscription? I’m mostly a data user. Would you reco Softbank? I read about bmobile but I’m not sure if they only offer prepaid or if it’s meant solely for tourists.
Thanks again super, Jinhan!
I see. Companies in Japan typically pay for commute as well, so if time and the ridiculously crowded trains aren’t an issue for you, then moving slightly further might be an option.
For mobile phone subscription, I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend any company in particular as the major players don’t really have much difference. Perhaps it’s easier to understand the Japanese telcos if I put it this way: Docomo is like Singtel, au like M1, and Softbank is like Starhub. Being the powerhouse, Docomo has the best reception across the nation. au and Softbank have improved over the years and the differences are mostly unnoticeable unless you travel to some remote area. When I was using Softbank some many years ago, my phone call constantly got cut when I was traveling on the Shinkansen. While I’ve been using Docomo for the past couple of years and it’s been working perfectly fine for me, I haven’t been traveling on the Shinkansen or making calls on it much to comment on whether it works well though I doubt there will be much issues.
Frankly, I’m not familiar with Bmobile but I believe they mainly target tourists. But if you’re concerned about the costs more than anything else, there are many cheaper alternatives out there such as Y! Mobile, Aeon, Rakuten, and the new Freetel (not free, despite its name). A full line with the major players typically cost upwards of 7,000 yen/month while the alternatives can be as cheap as under 2,000 yen/month.