Job Discussion Forums

vallillo1983 · Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 194

hey guys! its me again!! really sorry to post another question but i am very greatful for your help;

I am considering a position in Tokyo, so wanted to ask, is 260,000yen enough to live (as my accom will be 78,000yen) or will i forever be living like a student?(lets face it, it is the worlds most expensive city) Is it easy to make friends in Tokyo as here in London it's everything but easy!!

Also is the city bearable or does it just seem too much at times as its so busy? also is the place HUGE!!!

cheers guys

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

Figure that half of that salary will go towards basic needs (rent, phone, food, insurance, utilities). Just exactly how much you spend depends on your lifestyle. Do you like long hot showers, for example? That will eat into your utilities bill. Do you eat lots of meat? That will burn your food bill quite a bit. On average, plan on using 50% for basic necessities.

260,000 - 78,000 - 30,000 (food) - 15,000 (utilities) - 5000 (phone/Internet) = 132,000

Ok, now you have 132,000 left over (minus whatever you pay in insurance). Haircuts cost 1000-20,000 depending on the place and the type of service you want. If you do this every month, there's another expense. I'd say plan on 3000-4000 average.

Phone calls (even local ones) will cost you additional money.

Going out a couple times a week and drinking/partying conservatively will eat up 50,000 yen/month.

At this point, you have food and shelter, a phone and a haircut, with some light entertainment, and 79,000 yen left over for EVERYTHING else in life. If you have bills to pay back home, take them out of this. If you want to do ANYTHING else in Japan (sightsee, buy a stamp, rent a DVD, go to the movies, etc.), you will use up this money. Just what sort of lifestyle you are accustomed to will determine how much of this you can save.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Ok... You wouldn't starve.... But you wouldn't get rich quick either. What Glenski said is pretty much accurate.

If you really want to live and work in Tokyo, that's a starting point.... But if I were in your shoes I'd be looking for something that pays more. The most important thing is to get established first.

It really is a very hard question to answer, as Glenski pointed out. Some people are cheaper than others... I've seen Japanese TV shows on how cheap poeple live. It was pretty cool, but way too extreme for me.

It was your typical "Japan is better at everything" kinda segment... But it didn't piss me off because the Japanese that were "better" were honestly batsh!t crazy and didn't do much to make me think more of them...

First they showed a foreigner lady who prided herself on her cheapness and the measures that she takes to save money on utilities, groceries, etc, etc.... Fair enough.... Some of the things she did were pretty weird.

Anyway, then they showed this crackpot Japanese lady and how much MORE extreme and cheap she is. For example, she reuses her water at least 4 times. First the family bathes in it, then they do the laundry with it, (not too unusual) but then she drains it out of the washer, refrigerates it in bottles and instead of using an air conditioner during the summer she cools herself (and her feet) with the chilled, bottled water... Then, after the water has gotten warm, she flushes the toilet with it.

Then, they had the Japanese cheap woman meet the foreigner cheap woman, and had her show the foreign woman all these crazy-ass money-saving techniques.... Strange show, but funny.

Anyway, I HAVE seen cheaper accomodations that 78,000 in Tokyo, but you really have to look hard. Another option, is what a friend of mine did, he got into a fairly cheap "gaijin house." Saved him a ton of money.

mikeffd · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 25

Goddamn, this is depressing. I wanted to work in Tokyo because of the dojos located there. But I also wanted to save lotsa money to pay for student debts/vacation/savings.

I better rethink my plan.

bucko2004 · Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 31

260,000 is plenty enough to live on in Tokyo. I was on about the same and paying 71000 in rent and I was still saving about $500 a month. I wasn't living cheaply either. Always pissing it up at karoke, going to the pub, to resturants. I had a mobile phone too. Mind you I was flogging wireless internet off some neighbour so that would have helped a bit. You'll be totally fine on that money. You might wanna look for cheaper accommodation. You should be able to knock off about 20,000 yen and still live comfortably (by Japanese standards).

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

What is so depressing about having 79,000 yen to play around with every month? What is your lifestyle like?

By the way, I assume your "position" is a teaching one, in which case you are not going to have much time, certainly after noon, to visit dojos.

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

People also do forget about privates. You can do quite well teaching on the side if you have the right schedule. My private classes pay for a large part of my family's expenses.

pnksweater · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Yes it's livable, but the wage isn't exactly good for Tokyo. Your expenses will be more than other parts of Japan.. but you may find somethings will be cheeper than London. I have never lived in London, but the few I meet here don't seem to complain too much about prices, neither do the folks who've lived in New York City.

Remember that the pay your job quoted you is before taxes- you won't get to keep all of that. For me that ment that my 300,000 yen a month turned out to be just a bit over 280,000 a month.

Set up is exspensive! Furniture and appliances, even used, can cost quite a lot. You can live out of milk crates until someone leaves something good out on large garbage collection day, but that's a choice you'll have to make. Make sure you bring money with you to get set up. Most employers make you wait two months for your first paycheck.

Lastly, what you do with your left over money is up to you. Lots of people come here hoping to save gads of money. You most certainly can but it depends how many hours of privates and part times you're willing to work, how much you want to have two days off a week, and whether or not you really want to have a life outside work. The people who are raking in the money work work work work. Travel is another popular destination for the money. Just keep in mind that your job probably won't give you more than two-three weeks off a year. Many of these may be during peak travel periods when prices spike.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

yep Tokyo is big, and crowded.
My wife is from Osaka, and she hates it.
Osaka is big, but it is not as busy as Tokyo. At 9:30 p.m. in Tennoji, rush hour is over, but in Shinjuku it just keeps going.

Tokyo people have a reputation for being cold, serious, busy workers.
Do you want to make money or did you come to Japan to learn about an aspect of Japanese culture?
If you are looking for exotic Japan, you won`t find it in the concrete jungle of Shibuya.

People come to Tokyo to work and make money.
What are your priorities?

Big John Stud · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 513

Brooks wrote:

My wife is from Osaka, and she hates it.
Osaka is big, but it is not as busy as Tokyo. At 9:30 p.m. in Tennoji, rush hour is over, but in Shinjuku it just keeps going.

Tokyo people have a reputation for being cold, serious, busy workers.
Do you want to make money or did you come to Japan to learn about an aspect of Japanese culture?
If you are looking for exotic Japan, you won`t find it in the concrete jungle of Shibuya.

People come to Tokyo to work and make money.
What are your priorities?

Mr. Brooks has been influance by his wife! Tokyo people are very kind! I had many good times in Tokyo. When you get out of Tokyo you can find my traditional Japan, but you will more likely be treated like Guijin, (outsider) than you do in Tokyo.
Anyway 260,000 is more than enough to live on. The average pay for English teacher is 250,000 so you would be starting off better than most do. I have found many apartments cheaper than 78,000 yen a month, but they were more like room with half a kitchen. But who needs a lot of space?

mikeffd · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 25

johanne · Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 189

Most jobs that finish at 4 or 5 are in high schools and these are hard to get in your first year, unless you go through a dispatch company such as Interact and then you probably won't be getting the 260,000. Another possibility is a pre-school or kindergarten, but there is a definite bias towards women for those jobs and it takes a real love of small children to be able to work with them 5 hours a day. Otherwise, almost all conversation schools demand at least a couple of evenings a week where you work until at least 9, and you are very unlikely to get off before 6 the other evenings. Often you are also working at least one weekend day, usually Saturday. Since most adults and teenagers who are taking the lessons are busy during the day, it makes sense that most conversation schools need their teachers teaching in the evenings and weekends. Good luck with your plans

Mark · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 500 Location: Tokyo, Japan

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Hi Vallillo... I think everyone has answered this question adequately. It's not a lot of money but it's enough. At any rate, in Tokyo you can easily pick up some extra work or a private student or two to supplement that. So, no worries. Anyway, most people's first job in Japan is not the greatest... But once you have your foot in the door, should you decide to stay more than one year, you'll easily be able to find something better.

As to whether or not you'll be living like a student, it really depends on what kind of spender are you at home... Are you generally good at being thrifty and saving money or do you burn through the cash quickly? If you are a big spender, then you'll be struggling but if you are a thrifty person you'll be fine.

I spend a lot on food, easily 70 000 a month ... I'm really picky though! Although I think 30 000 a month is achievable, you will have to be very strict and make considerable effort to achieve that every month. You certainly will be very limited with choice.

Anyway, it's often hard to get sponsorship or even get a job when you are applying from overseas... So my feeling is that if the job is in a place where you want to be, and they are offering to sponsor you, you should go for it.