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d3773
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 8:51 am Post subject: Quality of life as a teacher in Japan. |
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Hello,
I'm currently teaching in Thailand, and looking to move on soon. As a teacher in Thailand, I have to watch my money very carefully, and can rarely afford to go out, shopping, e.t.c.
How does this compare with life as a teacher in Japan? Are you limited to noodles you make at home?
I'd appreciate any thoughts on this subject. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Are you saying that after you pay your bills every month there's nothing left?
Are you saying that quality of life is equal to disposable income?
If the answer to those questions is yes than come on. This is the place for you. |
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Lister100
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 106
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:41 am Post subject: |
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| What are you shopping for? |
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Synne
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Posts: 269
Location: Tohoku
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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If you have a valid job and visa then you shouldnt be limited to eating solely at home whatsoever with your average income over here.
That being said you can also lose money very quickly over here in Japan as it can be very expensive also.
Itll depend on what type of individual you are and how you spend your money.
Do a search on "saving money" to see a breakdown of the average persons salary. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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Salaries are obviously geared to what job you do, your income and what you earn. New people coming here can find they have enough to pay their bills and enough to eat but if you want to go out drinking 3 nights a week or do sightseeing it will cost you money. People either end up working more to earn more money, or cut back on expenses. Glenski has a post here somewhere on "cheapskates" on how to cut down on costs.
You can live (just) on a conversation school salary, you wont starve but you wont save a hell of a lot either, unless you pick up some privates or side income. Coming from Thailand you will find the cost of setting up in the beginning phenomenally expensive as well. You need $2000-3000 in the first couple of months, excluding airfare.
Here is a link on retail and consumer prices in Japan
http://www.pricechecktokyo.com
Last edited by PAULH on Sun Jul 10, 2005 12:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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A typical salary for a conversation school teacher is 250,000 yen/month. After paying for basic necessities, you should have about half of that left.
rent = 70,000
utilities = 20,000
groceries = 30,000
So, whatever you want to do with the remaining 125,000 is up to you. You will not have to try surviving on Cup Noodles, unless you spend countless hours in the bars or blow money on souvenirs and sightseeing or have to pay back enormous debts back home. It is pretty easy to tuck away 50,000 yen per month if you don't have to repay student loans, and you can still have a moderate night life. |
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malcoml
Joined: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 215
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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This article here gives a complete picture on quality of life. All I can say is that it looks to good to be true for many.
Thanks for the advice Paul.
http://www.inthemix.com.au/life/features/17765/ |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Quality of life is not just about getting into the sack with a japanese women or hitting it off with the ladies here. Sure its nice when you do but its not the be-all and end all of living here.
I have a friend living in Shanghai, who says that foreign language school teachers think all the Shanghai women are easy lays, promiscuous, have nothing better to do than be seduced by the hordes of single foreign men that land there, but the foreigners there dont earn enough to even take their dates to Pizza hut.
The OP is whether its possible to make enough to live on, pay your bills, be able to travel and do 'normal' things, such as see a movie, go out to a restaurant or spend a weekend at an onsen.
I would say the standard of living is quite high compared to some foreign countries becuase you have every electronic toy you can imagine, clean apartments and an efficient transport system. Possibility to make good incomes and have a lifestyle far beyond your means if you were living in your own country, based on your qualifications and skills.
However IMO the quality of life is much lower than my own country, New Zealand. Longer work hours, lots of processed food, polluted cities. Dirty beaches. Lack of green and parks. |
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SEndrigo
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Posts: 437
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 2:56 am Post subject: |
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I feel sorry for the people who come to Japan after reading such rubbish.
The bottom line is this: if you were successful in meeting women in your home country, you'll be successful here too (and everywhere else).
Just because there are "gaijin" bars with easy girls doesn't mean Japan is a better place than others. Most of the girls at the gaijin bars I wouldn't even go near....there are way hotter girls on the streets or in department stores but it actually takes skill to get them !
If you're just interested in meeting women, why not go to another country where the cost of living is much lower and the language barrier not as much of a problem (i.e. Czech Republic !) |
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Akula the shark
Joined: 06 Oct 2004
Posts: 103
Location: NZ
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:16 am Post subject: |
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For your info, here was my income and expenses, albeit I was living in Shikoku, which is less expensive than other places.
Salary 270,000 a month
national tax 12,000 a month
Prefectural and City tax 6,000 a month
Rent 45,000 a month
Gas 3,000 a month
electricity 3,000 a month
mobile phone 7,000 a month.
Private health insurance 7,000 a month.
After these fixed costs were taken out, I had 194,000 yen a month to live on. Typically I sent 40,000 yen home a month for student loan repayments, and spent another 110,000 a month on food, transport, general expenses and entertainment, so each month I was saving roughly 35,000 yen.
I could have lived on a lot less than I did, but was content enough to save what I did and travel and enjoy myself. |
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d3773
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:01 am Post subject: |
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| SEndrigo wrote: |
I feel sorry for the people who come to Japan after reading such rubbish.
The bottom line is this: if you were successful in meeting women in your home country, you'll be successful here too (and everywhere else).
Just because there are "gaijin" bars with easy girls doesn't mean Japan is a better place than others. Most of the girls at the gaijin bars I wouldn't even go near....there are way hotter girls on the streets or in department stores but it actually takes skill to get them !
If you're just interested in meeting women, why not go to another country where the cost of living is much lower and the language barrier not as much of a problem (i.e. Czech Republic !) |
Not quite sure what made you think that I was a male:?
I am a 24 year old female from New Zealand.
Otherwise, thank you very much for your helpful information. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:31 am Post subject: |
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| d3773 wrote: |
Not quite sure what made you think that I was a male:?
I am a 24 year old female from New Zealand.
Otherwise, thank you very much for your helpful information. |
Just curious...
do you have a degree? |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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Finally a post I am qualified to respond to.
I spent 6 years in Thailand and I can say without qualification that you will be much better off money wise as a teacher here in Japan (excluding international school teachers).Some reasons:
Better exchange rate, might not be as great as it once was but you are looking at in real terms an basic wage of 250 000yen/month is roughly NZ$3 300 vs on an average Bkk wage of 35000baht you are looking at NZ$1 250. The way you live is going to determine how much you save no matter where you are but in Japan your salary is worth so much more.
Aside from the amount of money you get from your regular gig there is also the question of private teaching. Privates here start at about 3000yen/hour which comes to about 1 125 baht/hour and there are none of the issues like traffic and all the other issues that come along with Thai private students.
Don't get me wrong I love Thailand but I would not live there on a teachers wages for more than a couple years. |
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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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Who believes this sad shoit  |
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d3773
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:37 am Post subject: |
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| PAULH wrote: |
| d3773 wrote: |
Not quite sure what made you think that I was a male:?
I am a 24 year old female from New Zealand.
Otherwise, thank you very much for your helpful information. |
Just curious...
do you have a degree? |
I have a B.A. Major in Education, and minor in English. I also have a CELTA cartificate. |
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