Job Discussion Forums

[phillis]

hello everyone.

i've reading the posts on this website for a while now and will be leaving for japan soon. i have read Glenski mention this budget he made up and would like to have it emailed to me. he seems like a fellow who does his research. my email is [email protected]. i'd greatly appreciate this. thanks!

[Glenski]

It's not a budget, so much as a list of expenses you can expect when in Japan. I have one for people who are established here, and one for people who wish to come and job hunt.

Send me an email, and I'll give you either/both, plus anything else I may have.

[email protected]

[shmooj]

Here's a list of rough estimates of monthly living expenses in a town of 60000 just near Nagoya in central Japan. We've been here 5 years and this is roughly what we spend as a couple so divide by two if you are on your tod:

Food/groceries: 35000
Rent (2LDK): 68000
Electricity: 3000
Gas: 4000
Water: 2000
Misc (going out, pub. transport, etc): 30000
Gym membership: 7000 per person
Phone (which we use very little): 4500
ADSL wireless net access: 4000

There are other expenses too which will vary according to your income. These include,
city tax (which you're liable for after living in a city for a year),
medical insurance (if you're part of the national scheme),
income tax
and possibly a pension deduction depending on what your company's policy is.

Obviously, everyone's different and I'm sure me baring my financial all will draw some cheeky comments

[lajzar]

Bear in mind that rent isnt notably cheaper for a 1dk. Maybe a reduction to 50k from 60k. Considering the sanity cost in living in a shoebox, I consider that money well spent.

As for utilities, the main part of their expense is standing charge. Mine are about the same as yours, and Im living alone

[Gordon]

Wow, I'm getting a smoking deal on my rent. I'm going to be moving into a decent sized house (1100 sq. ft) in a couple of weeks and the rent will be only 60,000 and that's before the employer subsidizes it. Mind you I'm living outside a small city.

[shmooj]

That doesn't surprise me Gordon. There usually aren't great differences around here between houses and apartments. It's just that apartments are two a penny and houses are harder to find and tend to be older. Rents on houses are usually a better deal because whoever is renting them is usually desperate to do so whereas apartment landlords can afford to have a couple of vacant places in a block for a while.

[Gordon]

I don't know, but around here there are lots of vacant houses. Some have been for years. This is an 8 yr. old house and western style. The Japanese would probably prefer tatami and shoji over hard wood floors, high ceilings and bay windows. Good for them.