Job Discussion Forums

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

Assuming an average salary of 250,000 yen and maybe 50,000 yen rent. What are the costs of living? Tax deductions (including medical, pension, income taxes, resident taxes, etc), food, utilities, transportation, going out for some drinks maybe 2 or 3 times a month.

Yen seems high, but what does the after tax and rent cost leave you with? Then what are your average monthly living expenses?

Hard to know if teaching in Japan is justified or not? Need to pay several hundred a month on debts back home. Good exchange rate will help. Maybe 50,000 to 60,000 yen?

rich45 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 127

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

Justified is an interesting word. If memory serves, many Korean employers pay a teacher's rent, but you're not going to find it all that common in Japan.

Breakdown of monthly averages:
rent - 50,000 - 80,000 (plus likely deposit/key money of 2-5 times that)
utilities - 10,000-15,000 depending on lifestyle and season
phone/Internet - landline (30,000 setup; 3500 - 8000 thereafter) or cell phone (10,000 setup; 3500-8000 thereafter)
food - 30,000 - 60,000 depending on carnivore vs. vegetarian and lifestyle

health insurance (mandatory) - 2500 first year, ten times that thereafter. Slightly more if you are over 40.

Those are the basic necessities, as well as taxes:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2206.html

Essentially, after paying for basic needs, you will have about 125,000 left over for everything else. Everything.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Depends on where you will live(rent).

Also, if you live in a rural area, a car is a must. Owning, not to mention buying a car is expensive. They have all kinds of road taxes and what not here. So, I think this is an often over looked factor.

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

Good point by rxk22.

With cars, you must prove you have (pay for) a parking space. And, there is a regularly scheduled mandatory safety inspection (called shaken), which can be pricey. Don't forget insurance, too.

After a year here, if you had an international driver's permit, you will have to get a Japanese license. If your nationality is such that you have to take the written and behind-the-wheel tests, that can be expensive, too. Heck, even converting a UK license entails a 3000 yen fee for translating the license, and a small fee for the on-site eye exam, plus paying for the photo.

Asurai · Joined: 22 Oct 2011 Posts: 11

whispechoes · Joined: 07 Feb 2010 Posts: 20

I'm in my first year in Japan with a typical entry-level salary, and after rent/ins./utilities/internet/cell phone/food/transport/fun/emergencies/whatever, I send about 70,000k home every month to handle bills/savings and am perfectly comfortable (this is with a fairly expensive apartment).

BUT, my idea of fun differs from some. I know some people on the same salary as me that blow all of their paychecks by hitting the bars every night, and pulling all-nighters whenever they have a weekend or holiday. I'm not a shut-in, but I'm not that extreme either.

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

Yes, I am in Korea. Not trying to turn this into a comparison post. Find Korea getting more difficult to pay off debts, though still possible but very slow going. I had always heard Japan gets more expensive after 2 years. You have to prove you have a parking space for a car? Geeze! Korea, you park where ever. Maybe China will rise up and be the cash cow. Think I'd like to try Japan but maybe you either have to be debt free or have a low debt balance. Salary offers seeming to be stagnant in kroea but not going down. Saw an offer online for a small city maybe 250,000 yen. checked www.xe.com and was shocked at the value.

weigookin74 · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 265

I always thought your employer subsidized your apartment. You paid the first 50,000 yen and they paid the rest?

rtm · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US

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

Employers who subsidize apartment costs are not that common. I think it is AEON that caps your rental payment at around 50,000 yen. With JET program, you might have to pay in full, get some subsidized, or even free. Case by case.

Yes, your payments increase in Japan after the first year. That's because health insurance is based on the previous year's salary. Since you have no prior Japanese salary during your first year here, national health insurance is about 2000-2500 yen/month. Thereafter, there is a record of your Japanese salary, and NHI payments go up about tenfold.

stumptowny · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 310

eIn0791207912 · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 33

Rooster_2006 · Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 984

jillybean · Joined: 01 Jul 2011 Posts: 32 Location: JAPAN

What are city taxes and does every city have them? I feel like an idiot asking this....I just moved to a new city, and I think I received a bill for city taxes, but have never paid anything like this before! (oops?)
I know they aren't resident taxes since I have been here for less than a year.