Photo attribution to andercismo
Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, that help you as a professional regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.
Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.
Today’s tip: How much it costs to live in Japan
Japan is considered to be one of the most expensive countries in the world in which to live. One prominent survey recently ranked the cost of living for expatriates in Tokyo as the fourth-highest in the world, behind London and Moscow and virtually tied with Seoul. The basket of goods and services used in the survey was priced more than 22 percent higher than the same basket of goods and services in New York, the most expensive city in North America.
Food, particularly imported food conforming to western tastes, is very expensive in Japan. Another cost of living survey found Tokyo’s food prices for expatriates to be the highest in the world, some 30 percent higher than New York and 45 percent higher than London. Staples of the Japanese diet, such as rice, seafood and soybean products are much less expensive, however, than western food staples. Budget-minded consumers can also find a variety of household goods at numerous “100 Yen” stores that sell items for 105 yen (about 1 USD) each (including tax).
Salaries in Japan are moderately high, but not always commensurate with the cost of living. A mid-level electrical engineer in Japan with five years of experience earns an average annual gross salary of 60,100 USD but takes home 46,200 USD in net salary and works an average of 51 hours per week. Corporate department managers fare better, earning an average of 83,300 USD gross or 62,000 USD net per year, for an average of 48 hours of work per week.
Housing
Due to the crowded nature of Japan’s cities, housing is very expensive. A 30 square meter (322 square feet) apartment in central Tokyo rents for an average of 1,480 USD per month and a scarcely-available 100 square meter (1,076 square feet) apartment rents for an average of 5,020 USD per month. Rent in Yokohama and Nagoya are equally expensive, with a three bedroom apartment renting for from 2,800 to 5,600 USD per month.
Medical Care and Health Insurance
Japanese companies are required to register all employees on a group medical plan with the Japanese health care system. The company pays for half of the yearly fees while the employee pays the other half. Foreign companies organize their own plans through the Japanese system or by using private health care. Most expatriates are not eligible to join the Japanese system until having lived in Japan for one year, thus expatriates who plan to come to Japan to work should have health care coverage from their home country to cover the first year. After the first year, expatriates can change to the Japanese plan or a private health care system.
This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Japan guide.
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