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To help you get the most out of your rent money, let’s go through the average cost for different neighborhoods in Tokyo, and some tips for finding the right place to live—for the right price.
Before we start you should know that terms for Japanese apartment layouts are different from what you might be used to. Typically you’ll see a combination of numbers and letters to indicate how many rooms there are in total e.g., 1K = 1 room and a kitchen, 3DK = 3 rooms, a dining room, and a kitchen.
Note that rent prices are per month, before utilities and other maintenance costs.
Tokyo is number 10 on the world’s highest average monthly rents by city
Known worldwide as an expensive city, it is not surprising that Tokyo makes the list of the world’s highest average monthly rents in Deutsche Bank’s 2019 edition of its annual Mapping the World’s Prices report.
It came in at number 10, with apartments for rent in Tokyo at a monthly average of U.S.$1,903 – that’s around ¥203,730 – for a “typical” two-bedroom apartment.
However, rents can differ greatly among the metropolis’ various neighborhoods, meaning that you can find a two-bedroom apartment with rent as low as ¥85,100—if you know where to look.
Click here to read more.
- External Link
- https://gaijinpot.com/
8 Comments
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1738Kwaaa!!
Just to add on: Tokyo is not made up of the 23 Wards only. There are also also cities which are part of greater Tokyo, and can also provide alternative cheap accommodation too. These cities are even far from central Tokyo. ( West Tokyo, Tachikawa, Kodaira, Hachioji etc)
afanofjapan
As expected, the placing in world lists is based on an international standard of living space. Had to follow the Deutsche Bank report which acknowledged it gets its data from Expatistan, which shows that it is using an 'average' apartment size of 85sqm. Apartments that size are not that common in Tokyo, so even when looking at cheaper suburbs, it will mean it is a relatively new or luxury apartment building.
I suppose such lists are useful for the Expats who expect a similar standard of living wherever they work, but it would be good to see a list for 'normal' immigrants. What is the comparitive cost of rent for a median apartment size (45-65sqm). What is the comparitive cost of groceries when buying the average groceries (Chicken, Pork, Fish for meat rather than Beef here in Japan)....
kohakuebisu
It sounds like it's getting worse but Tokyo is not that expensive. Cramped perhaps, but not that expensive. The public transport means that living out is not as bad as it would be in some places. Trains are rammed of course, but at least reliable and not expensive to use.
If you are young, I would recommend living as close as possible to the center, even if it means less space and paying more. Go to the suburbs or further when you are old.
Patricia Yarrow
Average rent in Tokyo is whatever I happen to be paying. What a useless study, as posters above have extrapolated.
Charlie Sommers
I married my Japanese wife back in 1963 and our first house was a small traditional home; two rooms and a kitchen with cold water only, and a benjo that had to be pumped out every few months. It was a new home and we were the first occupants. We lived there blissfully for over a year and paid the princely sum of 7,000 ¥ per month which at the rate of exchange at that time was a little over $19. Things have certainly changed.
mmwkdw
For all the various negative comments... It's useful for those who have never been to Tokyo before and are trying to figure out whether they can make do on the Salary that they're being offered.
Word of caution, though, Tokyo is getting more expensive, not on the rent side, but on day to day living costs. Rents are not really that expensive - proper expat packages are fewer these days, and large apartments are sitting idle (so if you're savvy, you may get a really good deal). But, look towards your living costs. Eating healthy costs are rising - by that I mean, cooking basics for yourself (not the microwave "bento"/cup-noodle lifestyle), everything else however is pretty much as before. So if you have a Family and are expecting to bring them here... you're going to find it necessary for one of you to not work, and simply "forage" for the best value food to suit your lifestyle, plus ... depending on Kids age, handle the local Schooling stuff - which if you dont speak Japanese, will be a problem, and otherwise a drain upon your Finances. There are some internet startups that "try to assist here", but... they're not doing you a favor price or quality wise, but if you both can earn mega-bucks, who gives a damn. Again, something to bear in mind.
And as for the ubiquitous Teaching English ... in Japan, forget the books you may have read - Reality is that it's a single persons temporary job. If you wish to make it a career - then get a University job, or something that is transferable to other Countries.
And.... for those in IT... Japan dealt the diversity goal a death knell with the agreement with India to import Indian IT "Specialists", so unless you're Native Japanese, or Indian (?/ of India origin), then you will be in a significant minority and subjected to dual racial abuse in your work-life here.
mmwkdw
Times have changed... Globally.