Job Discussion Forums

[weigookin74]

What are the average costs of rent and deposit in Japan. I realize prices will be different in Tokyo and in other places. Just curious. I mean if you got your own place and had a 3 year visa, you would have total flexibility in the marketplace I would think.

[Glenski]

Info on deposits is in the FAQs.
As for rent, yes, it will vary depending on size of place and location.

Could be as puny a rent as 30,000 yen/month or as extravagant as 150,000 (perhaps more). I usually cite a rough average of 50,000-80,000.

[flyer]

Yes, that sounds about right

Some jobs include rent, or pay half (like mine). But they are very very rare

[Lyrajean]

Depends entirely on your location...

Here in Okinawa incomes and rent are cheap (unless you're US military -yes the price changes and the landlords know exactly what a servicemember's housing allowance is).

I have a small 1DK that goes for 37,000yen a month. I could have a really huge place in an older building for 50,000. If I live in the Capitol city of Naha that could double to 70,000 for a small place and over 100,000 for a really large place.

Do be aware that the deposits and key money upfront can eat you alive because its ususally first, last, security deposit plus key money (read bribe to landlord) and possibly insurance.

[LinguRing]

Yeah, really does depend on the place but in Tokyo I would expect 70000 upwards for anything reasonably central and close to a station. Key money (non-refundable) of 2 months rent , deposit of 2 months, and agency fees of one month are the norm for most decent apartments, though nowadays things are sometimes a little more flexible.

[Okonomiyaki]

[Okonomiyaki]

It's spectacularly unfair to try to average out all of Japan's housing.
Instead, let's divide it into three geographic categories, then add on a few bits of additional advice.

City:
Be prepared to make roughly the same ESL teacher salary you would anywhere else, but your rent will be sky-high. Expect a studio apartment for roughly 80,000 yen (US$800) plus utilites per month. Parking for a car would be 20,000 baht more; parking for a pedal- or motorbike would probably be free.

Suburb:
Expect a 1LDK* or 2LDK* in a 2nd or 3rd floor walk-up, 5 to 10 minute walk to shopping or a bus stop/train stop. Expect to pay about 50,000-60,000 baht per month, and expect that your neighbors will be working stiffs with families.

Deep country:
All bets are off. You may be in a small village with literally one supermarket and nobody unmarried in your age group. I've seen friends get HOUSES here for free, because the owners prefer to live somewhere less remote. Public transport may not come anywhere near some homes, so shop carefully. Expect large apartments or houses for 40,000 to 50,000 yen plus utilities per month.

---
Special notes:
KEY MONEY and other moving-in costs: These are nothing like the tiny 1 or 2 month security deposits you're accustomed to paying. These may be waived for unattractive (dirty, run-down) apartments, or sometimes covered by your employer. Your employer may even maintain apartments specifically for you, his teacher(s)-- a great convenience,but also uncomfortable if you might one day look for a job with another school. Worse, the employer might ask you to share with other teachers-- zero privacy, and potentially sharing your home with an LSD-crazed bear!

For a standard apartment in the city or 'burbs, you'll plunk down 1 or 2 months' moving-in fee which you will never see again-- it's usually spent on new wallpaper, massive cleaning, and new "tatami" grass mat flooring. You'll also spend roughly a month's rent on commission to the "fudou-san" (rent collector / real estate agent) and sign a contract that you won't try to do an end-run around the fudou-san to talk directly to the landlord about any problems in the building. Yup-- he's the landlord's loyal guarddog, but YOU pay his salary and he bites YOUR buttocks!

You may be able to avoid some moving-in costs by saying that the old tatami and wallcovering are clean enough, don' t need replacing.

PETS and unexpected roommates not on the original lease: Not permitted, in almost all cases. The prohibition against pets is understandable: it's very difficult to clean up pet dander so the potentially allergic next renter won't complain. Unexpected roommates can make a landlord VERY uncomfortable: this is a person who isn't under contract, and for whom the landlord / fudou-san doesn't have a guarantor or other leverage.

GUARANTOR:
Almost every landlord / fudou-san expects that you will have a relative or employer sign up to be responsible for any charges, if you skip out without paying. Even if you're a married 30-year-old Mormon accountant from a stable midwest community, expect the landlord/fudou-san to treat you like a mass murdering suspect if you try to rent without having a guarantor.