{"id":26815,"date":"2023-04-21T05:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T05:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=26815"},"modified":"2026-02-12T16:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T07:09:37","slug":"the-highs-and-lows-of-the-cost-of-living-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/the-highs-and-lows-of-the-cost-of-living-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"A guide to the cost of living in Japan as a student"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated January 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost of living in Japan can be affordable depending on your location, accommodation type, and your lifestyle. While it\u2019s often higher than the rest of Asia in some parts of the country, you may be surprised by how affordable some living expenses can be. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To better help you understand how much money you might expect to spend while living and studying in Japan, we\u2019ve put together some cost of living examples<\/strong> in this article. Keep in mind these are <\/span>estimates and averages only<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost of living in Japan by location<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Where you choose to study will be one of the top contributors to your cost of living in Japan. Living in the nation\u2019s capital, Tokyo<\/a>, can be exciting if you like the big city life and there are more job prospects if you want to find work. But the flipside is you\u2019ll be paying more for everyday living expenses like rent and groceries.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, life in a smaller city like Okayama<\/a> or Kofu<\/a> will be much quieter, but you\u2019ll avoid the high cost of living found in the larger metropolitan areas. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at some <\/span>average monthly costs<\/b>, broken down by location. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

**Note these are <\/span>rough averages only<\/b>. Prices are always subject to fluctuation, inflation, and individual factors. These include your lifestyle and spending habits, the area of the city you live in, the size of your accommodation, your accommodation provider<\/a>, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rent and groceries, as well as other living expenses, have risen in recent years, so it’s always best to try and save as much as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Costs are listed in Japanese Yen.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/b><\/td>Sharehouse rent<\/b><\/td>Private apartment rent
<\/b><\/td>		Utilities<\/b><\/td>Groceries<\/b><\/td>Public transport<\/b><\/td><\/tr>
Tokyo<\/span><\/td>70,000<\/span><\/td>95,000<\/span><\/td>18,000<\/span><\/td>48,000<\/span><\/td>6,500<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Yokohama<\/span><\/td>65,000<\/span><\/td>85,000<\/span><\/td>17,000 <\/span><\/td>48,000<\/span><\/td>6,500<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Osaka<\/span><\/td>55,000<\/span><\/td>75,000<\/span><\/td>16,000<\/span><\/td>44,000<\/span><\/td>5,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Nagoya<\/span><\/td>50,000<\/span><\/td>75,000<\/span><\/td>16,000<\/span><\/td>44,000<\/span><\/td>5,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Sapporo<\/span><\/td>45,000<\/span><\/td>75,000<\/span><\/td>18,500<\/span><\/td>38,000<\/span><\/td>4,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Kobe<\/span><\/td>55,000<\/span><\/td>70,000<\/span><\/td>15,500<\/span><\/td>44,000<\/span><\/td>4,500<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Fukuoka<\/span><\/td>55,000<\/span><\/td>80,000<\/span><\/td>16,500<\/span><\/td>38,000<\/span><\/td>4,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Kyoto<\/span><\/td>60,000<\/span><\/td>75,000<\/span><\/td>18,500<\/span><\/td>44,000<\/span><\/td>5,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Okayama<\/span><\/td>45,000<\/span><\/td>60,000<\/span><\/td>16,500<\/span><\/td>40,000<\/span><\/td>4,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Oita<\/span><\/td>45,000<\/span><\/td>60,000<\/span><\/td>16,500<\/span><\/td>38,000<\/span><\/td>4,000<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Kofu<\/span><\/td>45,000<\/span><\/td>55,000<\/span><\/td>15,500<\/span><\/td>40,000<\/span><\/td>4,500<\/span><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Average cost of food, drinks & entertainment<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like other costs in life, the price of food, drinks and entertainment will differ based on location, and the restaurant\/cafe\/entertainment venue. <\/span>Prices have increased in recent years, particularly for food items, but affordable options are still widely available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some rough price ranges of what you can expect to pay for popular items.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convenience store onigiri: <\/b>130-250 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 550ml bottle of water: <\/b>120-200 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pre-prepared meal bowl from supermarket e.g. soba, udon, pasta, katsudon, etc: <\/b>500-800 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bowl of ramen: <\/b>900-1,400 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi: <\/b>120-550 yen per dish<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beef bowl from Sukiya (large chain restaurant): <\/b>400-900 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beer at an izakaya: <\/b>400-800 yen <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A meal at an izakaya (including drinks): <\/b>2,500-4,500 yen per person<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movie ticket: <\/b>1,900-2,100 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Night club entry: <\/b>Free to 4,500 yen<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard tuition fees and costs<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cost of studying at a language school will depend on where you are studying<\/a> and how long you\u2019re studying for. Generally, the longer you study for, the more cost effective<\/strong> the fees end up being on average. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total costs typically include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n