Accommodation cost in Tokyo

Hello Devilishruby,

Diclaimer: i have a company in Tokyo, Japan and some services the company offers may be related to the post!

The benefit from is you get to live with other students. In some cases, depending on location where you want to live it may be relatively cheaper. Depending on the school, it may be in campus which means no transportation fees.

The second question is more difficult to answer. without knowing your preferences in regards to privacy, sharing a room with 1 or more persons, how long and where you plan to stay etc

The short and unhelpful answer is it depends...

The long answer:

You would think that it would Homestay>Dormitory>share house> apartment but the reality of the market is much different. There are small "10 or 12 sqm apartments in tokyo that can be rented for 50K a month. on the other hand a good/clean sharehouse in a good location can cost upwards of 70K and i've seen some at 100K and above.

A couple of things you should be aware of that may help you filter out your options...

1. It will be hard to rent an apartment in Japan unless you have at least 6 months in your visa. Some realtors/owners require at least 1 year. Normal apartments are not furnished, you can either buy or rent furniture. You have to sign a 2 year contract but you can leave anytime you wish.

2. Renting a normal apartment can be expensive. Other than the rent, there are other fees that need to be taken into account. on average it cost 3/4 months rent to get an apartment in Tokyo sometimes more.

3. Some share houses have private rooms if you do not wish to share the room. You will however share the living room, kitchen and bath. Others have private apartments, where you have your own small kitchen and shower. Of course these are more expensive relative to a shared room.

4. Another option worth looking at is Home stay where you get to live with a Japanese family. It may be the cheapest option, on the other hand there will be rules that need to be observed. Breakfast/dinner time, night curfew etc

Hope that helps and that you will find your ideal living space!