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TheGoldenKiwi
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Posts: 8
Location: New York, NY
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 Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:16 am Post subject: How much are you able to save in Japan? |
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Working at an entry level eikaiwa position. MOD EDIT Seeing as how the average salary in Japan is SIGNIFICANTLY higher at 250K yen ($3300), subtract 50K/mo ($650) for rent, which leaves about 200K ($2600). So essentially a difference of $600/mo between Japan and Korea.
Is the cost of living in Japan really THAT much higher than in Korea to cost significantly over $600/mo in non-rent living costs? What is it specifically that makes it so much higher? Taxes, travel, food, drinks, all of the above? I'm looking for specifics. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 9:41 am Post subject: |
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I don't think the cost of living is that high, although I live outside the really major conurbations of Kanto and Kansai. 50,000/month will get you a cupboard in Tokyo.
The minimum salary you can expect is often lower than 250,000円/month. I've even seen 180,000円/month.
When I worked for GEOS many moons ago, I sent about 60,000円/month back to the UK. Obviously, that's worth a lot more now. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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MOD EDIT
As for Japan, if you go by average figures that people cite for rent, utilities, food, and insurance (all basic necessities), and use a figure of 250,000 yen/month for salary (could easily be 200-220K, depending on employer), here's what the numbers look like. [I've posted this countless times over the past 14 years, and they match what others have listed on average .]
rent 50,000-80,000
utilities 10,000-15,000
phone 3500-8000 (after a setup cost of 10,000 for cell phone or 30,000 for land line)
insurance 2500 the first year, and roughly 25,000 thereafter http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html
food 30,000-40,000
taxes about 10-20% of your income (income tax and prefectural/city included) http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2206.html
These vary according to many different circumstances, but they hold water as a guideline in my experience.
Basically, on that 250K salary, half goes to basic necessities, so whatever you choose to do with the remaining 125,000 every month is entirely up to you. Lifestyle and outstanding debts and frugality all play roles. It is generally accepted that unless you have big debts already back home, you should have no trouble saving 50,000-70,000 per month. As the saying goes, your mileage may very well vary. |
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.
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nightsintodreams
Joined: 18 May 2010
Posts: 558
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 6:42 am Post subject: |
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| It's not really a Korean FOCUSED thread though is it |
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TheGoldenKiwi
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Posts: 8
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
MOD EDIT
As for Japan, if you go by average figures that people cite for rent, utilities, food, and insurance (all basic necessities), and use a figure of 250,000 yen/month for salary (could easily be 200-220K, depending on employer), here's what the numbers look like. [I've posted this countless times over the past 14 years, and they match what others have listed on average .]
rent 50,000-80,000 ($650-1030)
utilities 10,000-15,000 ($130-200)
phone 3500-8000 (after a setup cost of 10,000 for cell phone or 30,000 for land line) ($45-100)
insurance 2500 the first year, and roughly 25,000 thereafter ($30, then $320) http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html
food 30,000-40,000 ($390-520)
taxes about 10-20% of your income (income tax and prefectural/city included) http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2206.html ($325-650)
These vary according to many different circumstances, but they hold water as a guideline in my experience.
Basically, on that 250K salary, half goes to basic necessities, so whatever you choose to do with the remaining 125,000 every month is entirely up to you. Lifestyle and outstanding debts and frugality all play roles. It is generally accepted that unless you have big debts already back home, you should have no trouble saving 50,000-70,000 per month. As the saying goes, your mileage may very well vary. |
Thanks for posting this, although I wish your other info hadn't been censored. I went ahead and added the conversions to USD for those like myself who don't know JPY. Do you get your taxes back at the end of the year in Japan like you do in Korea?
I appreciate your concern, but I read that before posting this. This is a Japan-focused thread (hence the title), with some very relevant information in comparison Korea that was censored. I'm sure a lot of people could have found that information useful... |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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| TheGoldenKiwi wrote: |
| Do you get your taxes back at the end of the year in Japan like you do in Korea? |
I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but in Japan you (or your employer) files for the income taxes, and if you are owed a return, yes, you get it. How much you get is an individual thing.
Also, if you pay into the pension plan (required, but many people still skip out on it), you can be assured of getting back a large piece of the last 3 years' of it when you leave Japan.
http://www.sia.go.jp/e/pdf/english.pdf |
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ultraman111
Joined: 17 Sep 2011
Posts: 148
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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How much can you save....?
On a basic 250k salary you can save about 1000 bucks a month.
If you do this all year you can save 12,000 bucks wohooooo
Do it for 10 years and you have 120,000 bucks
Now how much can you save in 20 years?
What do you do after that? By that time house prices have doubled back home and your a pauper. |
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budgie
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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Depends where you are. Rent can be as low as 35000 for a nice place in Sapporo or Fukuoka, but over 70000 in the Tokyo area.
Salaries vary too. Only about a third of the eikaiwa jobs these days are full time and only about half of those offer 250k or above. Sometimes I make as little as 170k a month, and when half of that goes to utilities I'm pretty much tapped by pay day.
If you're willing to work 12 hour days at various part time jobs and private lessons - or if you're qualified/lucky enough to land college work - you can make significantly more. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:32 am Post subject: |
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| budgie wrote: |
| Depends where you are. Rent can be as low as 35000 for a nice place in Sapporo or Fukuoka, |
You're going to have to define "nice place". I used to live in Sapporo, and I can assure you that that low price will only get you 4 walls and a floor with 6 tatami. |
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nightsintodreams
Joined: 18 May 2010
Posts: 558
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:39 am Post subject: |
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If Glenski doesn't know about it then it cant be true!
I live in a standard Leo Palace apartment in Hamamatsu for 35,000 a month.
Does that pass your believability test? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| No need to be a wiseguy about it. Thanks for the info. What is a "standard" LeoPalace room like anyway? |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:51 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| No need to be a wiseguy about it. Thanks for the info. What is a "standard" LeoPalace room like anyway? |
Many of the newer "standard" apartments (as in the ones that most employers set up their employees with - of course Leopalace has larger apartments and even houses on offer) are small but functional. They tend to be clean, well maintained and serviced. The ones outside of major metropolitan areas tend to be a little less skimpy on space and are often 1k units as opposed to 1R.
I lived in one for the best part of two years and would definately describe it as decent accomodation; small, but decent.
In my new city, I have a friend living in one out in the middle of the sticks. The block can't be more than a couple of years old, so it is newer than the one I lived in in my old city (I think mine is about 9 years old now) but inside it is exactly the same standard... actually mine had a slightly larger layout despite being in a more suburban area which totally made up for the fact that they have a cute, little HD TV whilst mine had an ancient monster that consumed a whole desk.
I've heard that in some of the big cities there are some older, grottier and far more compact rooms but I've never seen anything like that in the buildings I've visited (and I've been in quite a few in a number of cities). So I think that unless you have an older building (as in more than a decade old) then you should get a decent room which looks exactly like the pictures on Leopalace site. In fact, if you look at the bedroom pics on their site you can even see and compare the TV I had (first pic) vs the one my friend has now (third) 
EDIT: I've never actually see a toilet/bathroom arrangement like the one in the pic. Mine and all the ones I've seen actually had a toilet in a completely separate room with the bathroom entrance being located next to the laundry area (as seen in the "washing machine" pic); not a layout like the one in the "toilet & bath" pic where you have to walk through the toilet to get to the bathroom. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:35 am Post subject: |
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Thanks to seklarwia for that description. Just so you know, a 1K or 1R was pretty much what I had in mind when I stated 4 walls.
For people who don't know this terminology, look here.
http://www.jafnet.co.jp/manual/e_chintai/migigawa/eapart.htm
Not sure which layout LeoPalace goes for, or if there is even a different one from the 2 in the pictures.
So, I guess it now boils down to the subjective terms "decent" vs. "nice". Budgie and seklwarwia can provide everyone with their views if they like. My own interpretation is hard to make because of the intonation in one's voice when speaking these words, but I'd say either one might fall into a category of "clean and functional" = acceptable. Just guessing, though. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Just so you know, a 1K or 1R was pretty much what I had in mind when I stated 4 walls. |
4 walls, all the furnishings and appliances, internet included, etc. In Japan, "4 walls" often means that and literally nothing else (not even poles in the wardrobes). Perhaps your choice of wording wasn't the best because there is a huge difference between what "4 walls" means in most cases compared with a fully furnished and ready-to-go Leopalace apartment.
And if you don't mind small/compact places then (newer) Leopalace buildings could certainly be considered a nice place to live. Hell, I'm used to a lot of space so eventually needed out of Leopalace, but even I would still describe them as nice places to live (for people only planning to stay a year or two, or as a stepping stone for long-termers).
Besides, what exactly is wrong with 1K that you would not consider them nice/decent places to live? Size isn't everything, you know.
One is similar to the 1K diagram although slightly larger. You normally get a couple more jyou in the room - might not seem like a lot but is makes a heap of difference.
The other typical 1K Leopalace has a slightly smaller room than the afore mentioned type (possibly about 6 jyou) but the sleeping area is up in a loft space so the room is more of a living space than a bedroom.
| Quote: |
| So, I guess it now boils down to the subjective terms "decent" vs. "nice". Budgie and seklwarwia can provide everyone with their views if they like. My own interpretation is hard to make because of the intonation in one's voice when speaking these words, but I'd say either one might fall into a category of "clean and functional" = acceptable. Just guessing, though. |
Are you guessing about our interpretations or actually trying to generalise your own opinion? If it is the former (which seems to be the case since you specifically say "either one") then you guess wrong.
Many of us wouldn't consider an apartment decent if we didn't feel it was in some way nice. I certainly wouldn't tell people that a place was nice unless I though it was a decent place to live. I'm not saying that the two adjectives are synonymous. But in the case of describing accomodation, if you are giving an honest personal opinion, you wouldn't often have either or.
On the other hand, I might consider a place that was too cramped, too dark and in a less than ideal location as acceptable if it was what was good value for the money, it was clean and it served its purpose (i.e. functional), but I would neither consider it nice nor decent.
I consider places like my Leopalace as nice and decent; it was comfortable, it was new and well maintained and the fact that it was fully furnished and had internet made my arrival in Japan all the more stress-free. It was only my social life that proved a problem for the size of the place and eventually forced me out (which is why I wouldn't suggest 1k Leopalace rooms for long-term living - most simply out grow the space available for some reason or other) and possibly the fact that contract renewal was coming up; a concept I got all anal retentive over back then.
Accept my description for what it is instead of trying to guess and/or attach your words to it.
Oh and PS. A correction to my previous post's description of my old Leopalace building: It was built in Feb 2004 so it's 8 years old, not 9... meh! I was close. |
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