Job Discussion Forums

bhog · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 22 Location: KCMO

If I were to come to Japan to teach, how much would you recommend I have in the bank when I arrive? How much in Tokyo vs. some of the less expensive cities?

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

Come with no job in hand?

US$4000-5000. Expect a month to get hired and another 4-6 weeks before the first paycheck. PM me if you want a breakdown of the costs. I've given them a million times.

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

With no "working visa" it might take even longer before you get your first pay. You can legally only start working once you have legal permission to work.

TK4Lakers · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

It all depends where you live and work, and for whom.

It took me about $7000 USD, yes that much, to get me through the first 2 months.

A lot of my money went to my expensive apartment and the agent fee/deposit/key money. Also, since I work for a dispatch company, all my business-related expenses are reimbursed afterwards, meaning I pay for it upfront. These costs may include buying a bicycle, bus/train pass, taxi fares, etc, which all add up.

Throw in utilities, food, and some leisure and you can get the picture. PM if you want more specifics.

Venti · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: Kanto, Japan

bhog · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 22 Location: KCMO

I have a BA and TEFL cert so I thought I could maybe find something before coming over. Do most go to Japan without a job in hand? Is it fairly easy to find something before you arrive?

Anyone have an estimate on startup if I come with a job lined up?

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject:

The important questions are:

1) What employment will you have? If you work for a regular eikaiwa with an average monthly pay of 250,000 yen you won't need as much as if you were working for a dispatch company.

2) Will that employer provide accommodation? If not you need to be very careful as start-up costs for an apartment can be very expensive.

3) How far will you need to travel to work? If you have to travel far and are reimbursed for travel only after your first month or in your first paypacket then you may find yourself spending a lot of money on transportation which will, of course, determine how much you should bring.

It is a little difficult to give a specific answer to your question without knowing your specific situation.