Answer four quick questions and get a personalized breakdown of everything it will cost to move to Japan — initial deposits, monthly living expenses, taxes, insurance, and visa fees. We will also recommend the most affordable prefectures for your budget.
The total initial cost depends on your destination and lifestyle. For a single person renting in Tokyo, expect to pay 4-6 months of rent upfront (deposit, key money, agent fee, first month rent, insurance) plus visa fees. A typical budget is ¥500,000-¥1,000,000 ($3,300-$6,700) for initial costs, plus your first month of living expenses.
The most affordable prefectures for foreigners are typically in the Tohoku and Kyushu regions. Prefectures like Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Oita, and Akita consistently rank among the cheapest for rent, food, and overall living costs. Monthly expenses can be 30-50% lower than Tokyo.
A standard work visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services) application costs ¥4,000 (about $27). The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application is free but must be filed by your employer. Additional costs include ID photos (¥800), document translation (¥3,000-¥10,000), and optionally an immigration lawyer (¥50,000-¥200,000). Note: visa fees are expected to increase significantly in 2026.
Foreigners in Japan pay income tax (5-45% progressive), residence tax (~10% of income, billed from year 2), national health insurance or employee insurance, and national pension (¥16,980/month). The biggest surprise is residence tax: it arrives in June of the year AFTER you earn income, meaning year-one residents pay nothing but face a large bill in year two.
Yes, significantly. Living costs in cities like Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Sendai can be 30-50% cheaper than Tokyo, primarily due to lower rent. A 1K apartment in central Tokyo might cost ¥80,000-¥120,000/month, while the same apartment in Fukuoka costs ¥40,000-¥60,000. Food, transportation, and utilities are also generally lower outside the capital.