Sights set on the Land of the Rising Sun? Then get ready to say ‘konichiwa’ to your next adventure. At Sirelo we know moving to Japan can be quite a process, so we have created this concise and comprehensive guide for everything you will need to know about how to move to Japan. We will cover moving costs, visa requirements, living costs and more – read along!
Let’s cut right to it, show me the money! Moving to Japan is going to cost a pretty penny, but how pretty are we talking? On average, moving to Japan from the US costs around $6000 for a three-bedroom apartment.
Don’t be fooled, however. Average truly means average, and there are many factors that can cause your moving costs to jump up or down (mostly up). Two factors have the most influence: Distance and Volume. Pretty logical right?
Sirelo Tip! Not sure how much volume your move will need? By using our moving space calculator, you will be able to quickly get to an estimate!
To give you an idea of what to expect, below you can find the average cost of moving different household sizes to Tokyo via sea freight from the eastern seaboard.
| Property Size | Time | Average Costs |
| 1-bedroom | 8 – 11 weeks | $3,400 – $4,800 |
| 2-bedrooms | 5 – 8 weeks | $4,700 – $6,300 |
| 3-bedrooms | 5 – 8 weeks | $8,200 – $11,000 |
| 4-bedrooms | 5 – 8 weeks | $8,700 – $11,800 |
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
Likewise, below you can find the average cost of moving different household sizes to Tokyo via sea freight from the West Coast.
| Property Size | Time | Average Costs |
| 1-bedroom | 7 – 9 weeks | $3,000 – $4,200 |
| 2-bedrooms | 4 – 6 weeks | $3,900 – $5,400 |
| 3-bedrooms | 4 – 6 weeks | $6,800 – $9,200 |
| 4-bedrooms | 4 – 6 weeks | $7,300 – $10,000 |
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
By now we are sure that you have caught that the costs of moving to Japan are somewhat variable. Your moving costs will be as personal to you as your reasons for moving to Japan, so you will never truly know what to expect until you receive a quote from an international mover.
Because moving to Japan will not be the cheapest part of the adventure, we suggest you shop around! Comparing moving quotes will help you get to the right price and service for you, and by completing the form below you will receive up to five free no-strings-attached quotes!
For an extra hand remembering everything that goes into a move, we have compiled the most important points below. In case you’re interested in a full list of things to do before moving to Japan, we go into a bit more detail in our moving abroad checklist.
A guide on how to move to Japan would be incomplete if we skipped the few hoops you will need to jump through. Depending on your reason for moving to Japan, you will have to apply for either a work visa or a permanent residency. Otherwise, that 90-day tourist visa will run out quickly!
When it comes to work-related permits, Japan offers a wide variety of visas for expats to choose from. The type of job you either have or will have in Japan determines the visa category you will apply for.
Your application fee will depend on your application type, your nationality, and whether you want a single or multiple entries. In general, single-entry visas are around ¥3,000 ($30) and multiple-entry visas are around ¥6,000 ($60).
Work-related visas can be organized into two main categories:
Planning on making the Land of the Rising Sun your forever home? Then you will need to apply for permanent residency. To obtain permanent residency you will first need to start by getting a long-term residency visa, for which you will need to:
After obtaining your long-term residency visa, you will be eligible to apply for a full permanent residency. To do such, you will have to provide the following documents:
People living in Japan have among the longest average life expectancy. Why? Among other reasons, medical treatment is provided through universal healthcare coverage.
This means that generally speaking, Japan provides free (or almost free) healthcare services for Japanese citizens and residents. Under this system, the patient accepts responsibility for 30% of the medical costs (sometimes less in low-income cases) and the government pays the rest.
If you feel more comfortable having an American insurance policy, we recommend taking out international health insurance after moving to Japan from the US. You’ll be double-covered!
To open a bank account in Japan, you must first obtain a Japanese residency, as you won’t be able to make any financial arrangements without it.
Once you have your residency arranged, simply select the bank that best meets your needs. You will need to provide them with the following documents to open your account:
Sirelo Tip! Take some time to understand the tax system before moving to Japan. While income tax might be familiar, other taxes apply to vehicles and certain consumer products.
And don’t forget, Uncle Sam still gets his cut! Because the US applies global taxation, your income and assets will still be subject to US tax law. Learn more about what implications this may have for you.
With a lot of work in Japan for foreigners, you should not have too much trouble finding a job in Japan. But moving to Japan without speaking Japanese at all could be tough, however. Often companies require foreign workers to score at least a level 2 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
However, those language lessons will prove to be a good investment, as the average salary in Japan comes in at 4.9 million yen per year (around $43,000). In Tokyo, this is hiked up to 6.2 million yen ($54,000)!
Keep in mind also that Japan is known for a pretty intense working culture, with minimal work-life balance. But if you are willing to sweat it out with the best of them, you will earn the rewards.
Even though you can find open positions in every industry, there are a few areas where expats have the most success finding a job in Japan:
Japan is an incredibly attractive country, enjoying not only beautiful landscapes and rich culture but also of a strong economy with high standards of living. All this greatness does come at a cost, unfortunately. Japan is quite a pricey place to live in (the 8th most pricey, to be exact).
This leads to the average cost of living in Japan for a family of four in Tokyo to come in at around ¥417,000 ($3,864). Bear in mind, Tokyo is the most expensive city, but also the easiest place to land when moving to Japan. Below we dive into some more details.
Like anywhere else, housing is likely to be your biggest monthly expense when living in Japan. However, like nowhere else, in Japan properties do not have standardized classes (e.g.: one-bedroom apartments). Instead, you will encounter a combination of numbers and letters indicating included room types.
The letters indicate the type of room, and the numbers indicate the amount of that type available on the property. In property listings, you might see:
The average rent in Japan will vary per city and property size, but the national average falls between ¥50,000 to ¥70,000 ($465–650).
Below is a summary of rental prices for different property sizes across different municipalities in Tokyo, Japan’s most expensive city.
| Municipality | 1K | 1DK | 2DK | 1DLK |
| Adachi | ¥70,500 | ¥77,100 | ¥91,500 | ¥106,500 |
| Minato | ¥117,500 | ¥177,200 | ¥150,000 | ¥293,400 |
| Katsushika | ¥69,200 | ¥87,900 | ¥85,100 | ¥95,700 |
| Toshima | ¥87,800 | ¥110,400 | ¥125,800 | ¥158,600 |
Please keep in mind that the prices reflected above are just estimates. The rent can vary depending on location, characteristics of the property, and your city of choice.
Sirelo Tip! Watch out for this hidden fee, translated in English to ‘Key money.’ What is this? It is like a signing fee when agreeing to a lease, a deposit that you will not get back. While typically non-negotiable, ‘key money’ fees tend to be transparently communicated and do not break the bank. 🔑
A perk of moving to Japan is enjoying exquisite cuisine. However, no matter how much we all enjoy dining out, eventually, we will need to cook for ourselves. That means groceries, another budget item!
Common grocery items and their respective prices are summarized in the table below.
| Grocery Item | Average Price |
| 1 carton of 12 large eggs | ¥235.66 |
| 1 lb. of chicken fillet | ¥364.22 |
| 1 lb. of round beef | ¥1,052.22 |
| 1 gallon of milk | ¥743.40 |
| 1 lb. of potatoes | ¥178.25 |
| 1 lb. of bananas | ¥132.95 |
| 1 lb. of white rice | ¥245.60 |
| Bottle of wine | ¥1,300 |
| Imported beer | ¥360.05 |
Sirelo Tip! Japan is almost entirely without dairy products, so cheese lovers can have a tough time. Don’t sweat! In major cities, you will find many specialty stores selling western food products…at a steep markup. That half pound of guilty-pleasure cheddar is going to set you back $15 – $25!
Some of us might have the typical image of Japan in mind, with bustling streets, neon lights, Buddhist temples, and, of course, Mt. Fuji. While moving to Japan will show that each aspect of this image is true, there is actually far greater diversity than meet the eye.
Where will you find such diversity? It all depends on which city or region you choose. Below we list a few notable options:
This list is far from incomplete, however. With 47 prefectures and many more cities approaching one million residents, you will have some exploring to do!
We all know moving abroad is going to entail some experience of playing ‘the foreigner,’ but in Japan, this experience may be stronger than elsewhere. Why? While being unmatched in its politeness and hospitality, Japanese culture has a current of xenophobia running through it.
Besides having a language barrier, some Japanese have a trust barrier up against non-Japanese. The reason is simple: for centuries no non-Japanese people were allowed in!
You will rarely notice it to your face when living in Japan as a foreigner, but you might hear the word ‘gaijin’ tossed around, a not-so-nice word for people from abroad. While times are changing, we think it is important that you are aware. 😉
All this outsider talk might have you feeling homesick already. But don’t worry! Plenty of other Americans are moving to Japan or have already moved. In fact, Americans are one of the largest expat demographics in Japan.
Why is this? Well, the US maintains a large military presence in Japan, especially around Okinawa and Yokohama. Others have come for business opportunities, settling in big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
To connect, get online! Many expat groups and meetups enable you to quickly build a social support network after moving to Japan from the US.
Japan is often referred to as a land of contradictions. Traditional, yet modern. Kind, yet stern. Keeping with the theme, we have listed some pros of moving to Japan, contrasted by their cons:
While living in Japan, it is unlikely you will find yourself without anything to do. Whether it is admiring beautiful cherry blossoms in the Spring, going out to karaoke bars, or attending incredible festivals, Japanese residents always have more than a few ways to keep busy.
What does it cost to have a good time in Japan? Below we list common expenses for entertainment and leisure activities.
| Plan | Average Cost |
| Three-day pass to Fuji’s Rock Festival | ¥49,000 |
| Two movie tickets | ¥3,584 |
| Two theater tickets | ¥16,766 |
| Monthly gym membership | ¥8,011 |
| Three-course dinner for two | ¥5,877 |
| One-day pass to Universal Studios Japan | ¥7,400 – ¥8,900 |
| A cappuccino in a local coffee shop | ¥500 |
We hope that by now you feel ready to start your new life in Japan! Now that you have made it this far, you should be a master of moving costs and on top of all the things to do before moving to Japan. If you feel like you still need some extra help, we recommend that you check out the articles below. Best of luck with your move! 🍀
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