Job Discussion Forums

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

How long is a night out to you? A few hours?

I'm talking a night that starts from early evening and ends in the early morning, including food, drinks, maybe a few shots, perhaps a couple drinks for a girl, entry to a night club etc. A night like that's pretty common for me and usually costs about 10,000 yen or more.

Yes, a few hours drinking sensibly in an izakaya would cost a lot less, but I can't imagine even a four hour drinking session with a bit of food costing less than 5/6000 yen. I'm a big guy though, so perhaps I drink more than the average human.

rtm · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US

steki47 · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 1029 Location: BFE Inaka

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Well there you go.
Location is everything. Comparing a small town in Mie to Tokyo or around Tokyo is the difference.

In Tokyo, frugal would be spending 3,000 yen and then leave after two hours. Once you go to the nijikai, well then, the price just goes up.

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

In my first year I had a lot of first year interac friends that I hung out with. In those days a night would usually cost about 5,000 because we were all living frugally and doing what we could to save money. This would include doing nomihoudai together, not ordering food, avoiding clubs, ending the night in a karaoke booth with conbini beers and walking up to an hour to get home.

If you haven't got a close group of friends to do that with though, a proper night out is going to cost a lot more. It's not like you can go to karaoke and nomihoudai on your own now is it?

If a night out is just a few drinks (let's say four) and a bit of cheap food then you could get by on 3000/3500 yen, i suppose. When I'm in a relationship I rarely have those 10,000 yen nights out, but when single I can do it once or twice a month.

Don't even get me started on the cost of a date, only a month ago I took a girl out to a Spanish restaurant. We had the set course each and a couple drinks...8000yen! I couldn't believe it.

Anyway, the point is, if the OP is a young single guy and wants to survive on 80,000 pocket money a month, he's going to have to live pretty frugally and resist a lot of temptations. I expect he'd also like to travel and see a bit of Japan while he's here.

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Yep. Being single costs more. I am married and my wife is from Osaka and very kechi.

Single people go out and meet people. Nothing wrong with that, but it is not free.
So my advice is, live in a rural area to save money.

steki47 · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 1029 Location: BFE Inaka

I agree with the above two posts and in fact think that my point and theirs may present a range for the OP to consider.

OP-Why do you want to live on Y80K? Student loans back home, etc.?

My first year or two in Japan, I did not save much as I was exploring my new home and barhopping/dating. As I made friends and met girls, I started having parties at home which cut down my expenses. I was lucky that I lived in the red light district and could get away with having noisy parties at my apartment.

nightsintodreams · Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 558

Here's what the nightsintodreams of 3 years ago had to say on the matter.

It seems like my expenditure may have changed quite a bit since then...

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=939794&highlight=#939794

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

For people who really want to save money, just go to the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
There is not much to do, so you can save money, unless you spend too much on your vacations abroad.

Japan is an expensive place. You can make money but can easily spend a lot of money.

Big_H · Joined: 21 Dec 2013 Posts: 115

Tara2117 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gunma, Japan

You mean, having 80,000 to live on after paying your rent and bills? Depends on your lifestyle, but if you're not into partying a lot, it might be doable. However, after living here for a year, your insurance and tax bills will become WAY higher than the first year. If I have both tax and insurance due in the same month, it costs me between 50,000 and 70,000 yen to pay them. I don't always have both due in the same month, though.

You won't likely be able to save much with just 80,000 per month, though. And you never know when things will come up unexpectedly that need to be paid for.