Compare the cost of your home country to the actual living costs in Japan, simply select your home currency and see the difference!
All data is kept up to date by local members and actual students. Our latest update was on: 1st of January 2019
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| Food | Price in ¥ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 12 eggs dozen, large |
12.50 JPY | |||
 1 beer pint in local shops, markets |
7 JPY | |||
 1 kg of tomatoes |
8.50 JPY | |||
 Full chicken 2kg |
38.75 JPY | |||
 1litre 100% fruit juice |
8.50 JPY | |||
 1 package of cigarettes imported brands |
25 JPY | |||
 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples |
7.50 JPY | |||
 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality |
48.95 JPY | |||
| 2.5 liters of Coca-Cola |
0.95 JPY | |||
 1 Bread loaf standard |
9.50 JPY | |||
 Whole fat Yogurt. 500ml |
12 JPY | |||
 1x6 pack Dardanelle tuna |
18.50 JPY | |||
| Heinz baked beans 1 tin |
8 JPY | |||
 1.5 kg Sugar |
10 JPY | |||
| 2 liter cooking oil |
20 JPY | |||
 Yum-yum noodles per pack |
2.00 JPY | |||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes |
5.50 JPY | |||
 1 liter milk |
8.50 JPY | |||
 Fast food restaurant large serving/ take away |
25 JPY | |||
| Housing | ||||
 Utilities per month (water, electricity, gas) for 2 people in flat |
165 JPY | |||
 Wi-Fi monthly fee 8 Mbps (1 month) |
145 JPY | |||
 Laundry detergent (bleach, sunlight liquid, washing surf… altogether) |
58.50 JPY | |||
 House Cleaning fee per day |
105 JPY | |||
 Large Gas heater price range upwards. |
200 JPY | |||
 Original branded Electric Fans |
200 JPY | |||
 Original branded Electric kettle. |
120 JPY | |||
 40 inches Beko flat screen HD TV set |
2000 JPY | |||
 Single bed Blankets |
120 JPY | |||
| Personal Care | ||||
 Avon for women and men cologne |
100 JPY | |||
 Ladies hair plaiting. |
60 JPY | |||
 Ladies Sanitaryware (Pads and Tampoons) |
18 JPY | |||
 Men's haircut |
40 JPY | |||
 Ibuprofen, Panadol, Grandpa Pain killers box of 12 dosses |
24.50 JPY | |||
 Mobile package local network providers’ talk-time, data and messages |
65 JPY | |||
 1 month of gym subscription. |
105 JPY | |||
 Earphones original (Samsung. iPhone) |
90 JPY | |||
| Unisex Loris perfume |
30 JPY | |||
 Gadgets maintenance and repairs (cellphone, laptops, tablets...) starting price. |
100 JPY | |||
| Smart phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, HTC, IPhone) price range upwards |
1000 JPY | |||
 Laptops (Samsung, Lenovo, Hp, Monster, Dell etc.) price range upwards |
3000 JPY | |||
| Entertainment | ||||
 Boat cruise with refreshments and finger snacks |
120 JPY | |||
 Go carting 30mins |
120 JPY | |||
 Movie House 3d cinema |
30 JPY | |||
 Summer Festivals (jet, bumper cars, lucky deep ...(per ticket) |
15 JPY | |||
 Photo shoot |
120 JPY | |||
 Cappuccino / expresso/ coffee |
12.50 JPY | |||
 3 course dinner local restaurant two people |
96.50 JPY | |||
 3 course dinner classy, exotic restaurant two people |
150 JPY | |||
 Play station 4 console without games. |
2000 JPY | |||
 Spalding Basketball |
200 JPY | |||
 Original branded Racket and Wilson’s tennis balls |
500 JPY | |||
| Transportation | ||||
 Taxi fare on average 5-10km |
45 JPY | |||
 Public transport per trip one way maximum fare |
30 JPY | |||
 1 liter petrol/diesel |
6.50 JPY | |||
| 1 day rent a car cost |
140 JPY | |||
 Driver’s license |
2300 JPY | |||
| Clothes | ||||
 1 pair of jeans (Denim or similar) |
150 JPY | |||
 1 pair of men’s formal shoes |
215 JPY | |||
 1 pair original sport/casual shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) |
280 JPY | |||
 1 classy summer dress (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) |
135.79 JPY | |||
 Ladies formal shoes original and durable |
120 JPY | |||
 Back-pack, gym bag (Nike, Adidas, New balance) |
150 JPY | |||
Living in Japan is very cost-effective and not remotely as expensive as you would expect. The currency they use is the Japanese Yen (¥), however, to make it easier to understand we will convert the figures to USD. At first glance, you will find that Japanese people are extremely organized and precise which translates to their everyday lives.
In Japan, Tokyo has the highest minimum wage at $10 which is the average salary of smaller jobs compared to other cities. Per usual we would like to reiterate that our estimates vary depending on the location within Japan and individual lifestyle choices.
Accommodation:
It is of note that terms for houses in Japan are quite different from you might be used to and the prices come before utilities and other maintenance costs.
Terms: 1R means studio, 1K means studio plus kitchen, 1DK means 2 rooms plus a kitchen.
A studio apartment in a good area in Japan outside the city center will cost about $500 to $900 for a month. The prices also change a lot depending on the neighborhood. Some apartments can go up to $1,000 or $1,300 for some very choice apartments in Tokyo or Osaka.
Feeding and Groceries:
One month of groceries will cost around $200 to $300 depending on whichever dietary preferences you have. Eating out is very affordable as a meal for two costs about $10 at an upscale restaurant in the country. Fast food outlets are very cheap in Tokyo, some meals even cost less than a dollar.
Transportation:
Transportation in Japan is very efficient and timely, budget about $100 for your monthly movements within the city. The metro is the most efficient means to get around and one trip costs $1.50.
RocApply Tip: Get a ‘Pasmo card’ that you can use with buses, metros and on JR train lines.
For car owners, the price of one liter of gas is $1.30. Ubers are also available across major cities in Japan and serve as an alternative to the ubiquitous taxis that are available around the country and 10 minutes taxi ride costs about $15.
Healthcare:
The standard of medical healthcare in Japan extremely high and healthcare is generally accessible by citizens, expatriates, and foreigners for free. Medical treatment is covered by the government's universal healthcare system, however, private health insurances cost about $160 per month.
Considering all the major costs mentioned and some other smaller costs for entertainment such as going out and having a drink which can cost around $200 to $250 per month depending on your interests, the total costs of living in Japan can come up to $1,700.
