Comments on: Who says living in Japan is expensive?

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:59:53 +0000

This post is a load of crap. Japanese people eat Bento boxes (rice and one or two pieces of fish or meat) that costs about $8 to $10 a box. Other than that, they eat noodles and white rice. All Japanese people eat at featured restaurants? Give me a break. This blogger has zero credibility.

By: Neil Duckett

Neil Duckett — Sun, 25 May 2008 05:18:54 +0000

What a load of crap! …. the reasoning behind this is terrible and once again i’m not surprised to see it’s a teacher thats quoting the figures.

“only eat at “Featured” restaurants from magazines” …. what a load of crap!! ……

I hope people don’t take this information as accurate.

By: Shari

Shari — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:16:48 +0000

While I wouldn’t take issue with your friend’s number crunching, I would say the way he lays out expenses only as they apply to those who are here for the short-term stay. Once you are here for more than a year, you are responsible for paying city and ward taxes based on the income you earned the previous year (if you leave after a year, you’re supposed to pony up a lump sum before you go but most foreigners skip out on this). The city and ward taxes are about 5% of your monthly income and health insurance around 10%. That means your friends extra $750 from an income of $2000 is reduced by $250 and is down to $500.

If you stay here longer than a year, you start to run into the same sort of expenses that you have to worry about back home like new clothes, shoes, appliances, and any sort of upgrades in software, hardware, cell phone, etc. All of these things cost more in Japan than back home. Your friend’s information also seems to assume you have a place which is fully furnished and you don’t have to put out any cash at all for things to customize your living space in any way.

The other point and this is very important to make is that $500-$750 doesn’t get you as far in Tokyo as it will back home. If you want to travel a little or go out to dinner even just once a week to an average restaurant, you can eat up that money and more in no time. A modest dinner at a restaurant will run you about $25 for one person without alcoholic beverages. Add $3-$5 for every beer you consume.

If you don’t avail yourself of any of the food or cultural experiences in any way and live a modest life where you buy all of your own food at markets and cook for yourself, never travel besides travel for your work, never buy any new clothes or items for your day-to-day living, and do not buy souvenirs or gifts, your friends numbers are fine provided you are here for a year and skip out on the tax and health insurance fees you should pay up on before you leave. Of course, if you live this way in your home country, you’re also going to save money, especially if you live in a tiny, tiny place that comes pre-furnished.

By: The Expedited Writer

The Expedited Writer — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 06:14:50 +0000

Yes, it’s money management and priorities in the end *nods*

By: Contamination

Contamination — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:17:37 +0000

I love this post. I remember all of my friends saying “Oh Japan is expensive, a friend of a friend paid $50 for a steak”. Yeah, at TGI Fridays in Roppongi.

Duh.

I have a modest wage and yet it was good enough to get a home loan after only being here almost 2 years.

By: The Expedited Writer

The Expedited Writer — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:41:13 +0000

No it’s always been like this it seems. But of course, it depends on what you’re working as.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 05:59:42 +0000

I thought work hours in Japan were super long. Or was that in 2005? =P