moving to Tokyo?

Question

ok i'm moving to tokyo with my best friend in 4 to 7 years and i need some help. first i need to know who much it will cost to live there for year and i need to know what the diff is between a us dollor and a japanes Yen. so if some one out ther knows this stuff pelase help me.

ok see the thing is i want to have at lest a years worth of money to get on my feet over there and i have to start saving new me and my BF are poor collage kids

Answer 1

if you are moving to Tokyo, you would be looking around minimum of 100,000 yen a month for a 1 bedroom apartment with a kitchen, and dining area, called a 1dk, if you wanted a 'living area' (living room) it would be a 1LDK, add a second bedroom and its a 2LDK, the bigger apartment you get, the more money its going to cost, a friend had an apartment in Shinjuku (very popular area, not known for low prices) she was paying 200,000 a month in rent with her roommate (about 1800 dollars a month or so) If you don't mind being farther away from the center of Tokyo, you could live in one of the more outlying wards for cheaper.

When I was in Tokyo for a month last year, I went thru a place called Sakura house, I got an apartment in Machiya, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, at a brisk walk it was a 10 minute walk to the station, the apartment cost 90,000 yen a month. it was a really small apartment, but it got the job done, had a place to sleep, a shower, fridge, small tv, airconditioner/heat, loo, and a small closet. all in less space than the living room of the small apartment I have in Florida.

If you go farther out, the prices get cheaper, and the rooms bigger, and as a result, your commute time gets longer also.

Overall, I would suggest if its just you that is going, I would plan on being extremely frugal, if you got a cheap apartment, probably 15-20000 usd for a year. If you wanted to cut some of your costs, you could stay in a shared living place like one of the guest houses that sakura house runs, but then you give up a lot of privacy. I went for the more expensive option, which was a private apartment with a guest house next door, and another apartment under me.

As far as the currency conversion goes, as of this moment, the dollar is rising against the yen, and its about 120 yen to the dollar, when I went it was around 112 to the dollar. For a rough way to figure out the price, just figure that 100 yen = 1 dollar its a quick and easy way to figure it out.

There are several books that will help you with getting prepared, one example being: "In the Know in Japan: The Indispensable Guide to Working and Living in Japan" which will give you a good bit of information about culture, living, ect.

Have fun, and I personally can't wait to go back myself!

Answer 2

First of all, the movement of the Yen vs. the $ is so violent in the past years, there is now way to know what the exchange rate will be like in 4-7 years. When I came over, it was 141yen =$1.00, but in just a matter of 2-3 years, it dropped to 110 yen.

As for saving enough money for one year, you are probably looking at about 200,000 yen a month, and that will vary depending upon how much you pay for rent. And as you have heard, Tokyo is the most expensive place in the world.

Good luck.

Answer 3

"4 to 7 years" is a long way off ! This morning ( Friday 2/9/07) Japanese yen was going for about 121 for $1 US...BTW, you can't just move there anytime you want ! It's not like moving from New York to LA. A tourist visa is only good for 90 days, and it's not legal to work on a tourist visa. To get a work visa you need a job waiting for you there. Most Americans there teach English. And to teach English you need at least a BA / BS degree. Many young people there are looking for work, and the job market is very tight. You're not likely to get hired unless you have a special skill a Japanese does'nt have. There are few jobs available if you can't read, write, and speak as well as a native born Japanese. Most people only know a limited amount of English. Figure needing at least $15,000 cash for the first year. If you've been on this message page very long, you'd know at least once a week someone tells us they're going to move to Japan ! If it were that easy, I'd be there right now myself...

Answer 4

Get a job teaching English or doing something lucrative (computer programmers can get good paying jobs.) If you don't work, you'll lose a lot of your savings.

Rents are at least $1000 a month for a tiny place. I'd budget $2000-1500/ month outside of Tokyo and $3000/ month in Tokyo, the world's most expensive city.

Get a CELTA certificate to teach English (it can be done in a month) and you won't need to worry about money so much.

Answer 5

Tokyo is the most expensie city in the world. If not going for a job it will be very expemsive. exchange rate is 103 yen to the dollar. As for yearly expenses it it is hart to tell, low 6 figures maybe. If you want more detail e-mail me.

Answer 6

I don't think Tokyo isexpensive city to live in .
1 $ is about 115 yen ,
Go for it !

Answer 7

1USD same as 121.26JPY(yen)
I used to live in Fukuoka, Japan. In their school, a bowl of noodle cost me 150Yen(1.24USD). Food in their school is consider as cheap. I went to the city(Tenjin city) by bus cost me 150Yen as well. My transport cost me at least 2.9USD if I keep travel from one place to another. One meal cost me at least 14USD. My most expensive dinner was with a few of my friends which cost us about 280USD. Things in Japan is expensive compared with America expect their electronic.
Well I believe things in Tokyo is the most expensive in Japan compared with the other cities because Tokyo is the capital city. It might be more expensive compared with Fukuoka, place where I used to live.

Answer 8

I would ask this question closer to your move.