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senor boogie woogie · Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject: How expensive is Japan?

Hola!

I have taught in Taiwan, Korea and China. I have never been to Japan. I like China. I want to visit Japan one day. My vision is to take the railroad around Honshu, see Tokyo, Mt. Fuji and Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Some questions:

1.) How much money do you spend a month?
2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?
3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?
4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?
5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?
6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?
7.) Do you go to bars?
8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?
9.) Reasonable hotel prices?
10.) Is 250,000 Yen enough?

How well do you live there? I want to compare a persons life in Japan versus mine in China. Seems to me that people in China can work a lot lesss for a level of comfort comparable to Japan, but you guys make more money but everything is much more expensive. If you are American, Canadian or European, did you have "sticker shock" on everyday items here at first?

Senor

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

crazyteacher · Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 34 Location: Tokyo

Glenski said

"
Quote:

2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?

Fares start at around 600 yen. "

Yup. Taxis are evry expensive. I once knew someone who had a long stopover in narita. He did what he would usually do in any city, took a taxi into the city center and had a meal then took a taxi back. He was not happy......

"Quote:

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?

About 260 yen, sandwich only."

sometimes the have 100 yen specials

"Quote:

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?

For my 2 bedroom place about 20 minutes from downtown Sapporo, I pay 70,000 yen/month. It is a brand new building, and this includes parking. "

47,000 near center of tokyo. 6 mat bedroom 4.5 mat dining, 1 mat kitchen, toilet, no bath. It is possible to get cheap places if you are insane like me!

"Quote:

7.) Do you go to bars?

no "

yes. prices vary greatly. 1000-120 yen a beer (cheap happy hours can be had)

"Quote:

If you are American, Canadian or European, did you have "sticker shock" on everyday items here at first?

Not much. I'd been here previously, so it's hard to make this comparison. I didn't like the high price of magazines and books more than anything. Movies cost 1800 yen, and you can't choose your own seats, so that was a bit of a shock, but you can see that these are rather minor things to worry about."

I go to second hand book stores a lot and I get books from friends. Space is limited so I give away the good books and resell the rest to the used book store.

You can get discount tickets for the movies (1200)

About comparisons with europe, a Japanese student did a homestay in Dublin and came back complaining about the prices.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Hola Senor,

Your Questions -
1.) How much money do you spend a month?

About 160,000-190,000 a month. I take classes in my free time.

2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?

Most of Kanto the meter starts at Y660.

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?

I've never had one here...The few times I went for a burger, I went to Moss Burger. About Y800 with fries and drink.

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?

My place is a second storey, corner apartment of a typical "copo" building, with a loft large enough to sleep in and one main room. I pay Y60,000 and I'm an hour from Shinjuku.

5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?

Premium stuff? Y200.

6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?

I find that there is no real advantage. I eat out quite often so that I can have variety in my diet. I live alone. Perhaps it's easier for couples.

7.) Do you go to bars?

Yep.

8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?

Sure they do.

9.) Reasonable hotel prices?

Y4000-10,000 reasonable?

How well do you live there?

Well enough that I can travel home once a year and still have savings.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

1.) How much money do you spend a month?

250,000

2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?

Taxis start at 600 yen and then it goes up too quickly

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?

about 250 yen, but never had one

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?

Getting a whopping deal: 60,000 yen and it is a 2 story house with 2 bedrooms, a walk-in closet and a garden. Nicest house I've ever rented before.

5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?

Don't know, I don't drink

6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?

Almost always cheaper at home
7.) Do you go to bars?

Nope

8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?

Compared to China, you will think you are in Heaven. The streets are much cleaner. Fairly discrete on cell phones.

9.) Reasonable hotel prices?

5-8,000 yen/month

10.) Is 250,000 Yen enough?

Not for me, but I have a family to support.
I live quite well. I'm paying for a Masters degree and go on 2 int'l trips/year and still save.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

1.) How much money do you spend a month?

Approximately 152,000 yen

2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?

Meters start about 660 yen

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?

608 with fries and drink

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?

45,000 for a reasonably-sized apt. (similar to a studio apt. in the U.S.)

5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?

Depending on the brand, from 120 to 205 yen

6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?

Depends on what you buy, how much you eat, etc. I do both and find it's pretty much break even.

7.) Do you go to bars?

No. Ridiculously expensive and pointless (outside of the bigger cities, Japanese women tend not to go bar-hopping).

8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?

Outside of the big cities, generally clean. I haven't seen too much spitting, but you will occasionally see men pull their cars over to the side of the road and urinate openly).

9.) Reasonable hotel prices?

From 2,000 (for a capsule) to 5,500 (and higher, of course) for a business hotel.

10.) Is 250,000 Yen enough?

Absolutely.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Celeste · Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2004 4:16 am Post subject:

All of the Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders I know had huge sticker shock here. Groceries can cost 3-5 times what they do back in Canada. Once you get your first pay the sticker shock goes away.

Many Americans that I know also had sticker shock, but the ones from more expensive parts of the US don't seem as stunned at the prices.

Most of my friends from the UK seem to think that things here cost about the same as back home.

My husband and I both work. Our gross pay is 600 000 per month combined. Our take home is 530 000 per month. We spend 200 000 - 250 000 of that a month and save the rest.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Eleckid · Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Posts: 102 Location: Aichi, Japan

1.) How much money do you spend a month?

20,000yen on bills (electricity, phone, cell, internet)
20,000-30,000yen on food, household stuff, & entertainment

2,) How much is a taxi for a short ride?

I only took the taxi once from my city to nagoya airport...it was expensive!!!

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?

don't eat Macs

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?

40,000yen for a 7 tatami living/dining/bedroom, 1 tatami bathroom with showers & bathtub & toilet, 1 tatami kitchen

5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?

don't drink

6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?

Use their local ingredients, shopping at cheaper grocery store, & cook by yourself (not microwavable food) saves you most. Eating out is exp here.

7.) Do you go to bars?

No, I don't.

8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?

Compared to Korea, Taiwan & mainland China, Japan is really clean. I can take a deep breath outside without coughing my lungs out. Ppl here usually email using their cell phones, so it's not loud at all. They talk in a normal voice but usually if they can, they'll go somewhere to talk where it's not disturbing others. They don't usually spit as much as the other countries.

9.) Reasonable hotel prices?

Some are cheaper than the ones in Canada, you gotta look carefully, & sometimes booking online is cheaper for some hotels.

10.) Is 250,000 Yen enough?

If you're here to travel, no.

- How well do you live there?

I enjoy living here & I feel comfortable.

- I want to compare a persons life in Japan versus mine in China.

It really depends how you lived in China. You can't save much in China cuz the salary is low, but then you only need to pay a little & you'll be stuffed full. But in Japan, for me at least, I pay a lot & ends up still hungry.

- Seems to me that people in China can work a lot lesss for a level of comfort comparable to Japan, but you guys make more money but everything is much more expensive.

To me, everyone here works hard compared to China or Canada. Being late is a big no-no. And expect to do some free overtime at work from time to time. I think I get paid 3x more here than in China, but then the level of effort at work is also 3x higher.

- If you are American, Canadian or European, did you have "sticker shock" on everyday items here at first?

Yes. But I have found things which are much cheaper here than in Canada!

melirae · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 145 Location: Korea

1.) How much money do you spend a month?
Including rent, I have been spending about US$1500. I shop a bit and go out for cocktails, although I mostly cook at home.

3.) How much is a McDonalds Big Mac?
Not sure about this...the hamburger set (burger, med fries and med coke) is 430 yen. And when you are craving a little taste of home it is the way to go because it tastes exactly the same!!

4.) How much are you paying for rent every month and how big is your place for the amount of money you spend?
I'm in NOVA accom. in Osaka and I pay 60,000 yen- utilities included in that figure- for a really nice large 3 bedroom (my other two roomies pay the same as me, so it's really not useful info for you now that I think about it....) Confused

The location is awesome though and the place is really nice. Totally comparable to what I have lived in back in the US. The only huge difference (other than the lack of an oven!) is that the common area is a little smaller.
I do have to pay for phone and internet, which I think will be around 8000 yen a month, but that will be split 3 ways with the roommies.

5.) How much is a beer in a convience store?
Chu-hi will run you about 180 yen each. If you are close to a grocery, go there instead because you can get them (cold) for about 118 yen.

6.) Is it cheaper to eat at home or eat out?
Depends on how well you can cook and if you want to put the time into shoping for the best deals on food. Chicken is pretty cheap. Beef isn't outrageous either. Depending on where you eat out you might could do it cheaper than cooking. If you are craving ethnic foods (Mexican, etc.) eat out because even though it's pricey, it's cheaper than buying what you need to prepare the dishes at home.

7.) Do you go to bars?
Yes I do! There's the wonderful 280 bars where everything is only 280 yen. There are also a few bars I have found in Osaka where everything is only 500 yen. They have great drinks and good atmosphere. Some of the clubs are expensive for covers and the drinks, but it's that way in the US, so no big shock there.

8.) Is Japan clean? Do the people spit, and talk loudly on their cell phones?
I've seen a few spitters, but for the most part the are where I live is very clean. There is rarely trash on the street. I also don't see too many Japanese chatting on their phones in public.

10.) Is 250,000 Yen enough?
I think so! I recently received my first pay check and I am very excited about the amount that I will be able to save! Some months I will only be meeting my minimum goal because I don't want to spend my time in a new country at home on the couch, but months where I'm not out and about too much I think I will be able to save way more than I expected.