Job Discussion Forums

[Pushok]

I'm looking into applying for a post in Tokyo which will pay around 500,000Y (pre-tax) per month. Nothing else is included, except flights and medical insurance.

Is this a good enough salary to support a family (wife and young daughter - not yet school age)? I don't expect my wife will be working as she's not a native English speaker.

I have to pay for accommodation from this and would like to have a decent lifestyle and potentially save some money. Is this possible?

All replies are most welcome.

[PAULH]

Pushok

I have two kids (but not living in Tokyo) and for the last four years have been able to support a non-working wife and children on about 460,000 net yen a month. I have juts moved to a new job and take home pay after rent is about 350,000 yen a month and we have found we can just survive on that with a non-working spouse.

What you spend will depend on a number of factors such as whether you send your daughter to kindergarten for example, whether you drive a car and food expenses, and your rent costs.

Our biggest expenses were things like the school fees, car parking and insurance. You should be able to live quite well on what you are earning, IMO.

BY the way what is it that you are doing ? Obviously not language teaching unless you are working at a university.

[Gordon]

That's a very good salary. It should be no problem unless you have expensive tastes. That's much more than I earn at a university.

[guest of Japan]

That's the combined salaries of my wife and I. You will be quite comfortable.