Moving to Japan from Austria

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Austria to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Austria to Japan, you would find that Japan is 33.6% cheaper than Austria overall. A €65,700 salary in Austria would need to be roughly ¥7,654,838 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 58°F in Vienna, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Austria to Japan.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 ¥7,654,838

To maintain the same standard of living in Japan

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 66.6% less

Groceries

pay 10.1% less

Transportation

pay 14.1% less

Housing

pay 43.9% less

Childcare

pay 31.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 25.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 184.55 JPY (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Austria to Japan, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
794 ↑ 45% vs 2022

people moved from Austria to Japan · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Japan?

Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Austria to Japan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AT
0.9
JP
0.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AT
4.6
JP
2.7

Japan performs significantly better than Austria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AT
$8,250
JP
$5,365
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AT
55.1
JP
26.1

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AT
17.0
JP
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AT
6.3t
JP
7.8t

Austria generally does better on environment, though Japan leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AT
29.6
JP
37.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AT
8.7%
JP
36.0%

Austria generally does better on infrastructure, though Japan leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AT
5.2%
JP
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AT
$64,600
JP
$46,300

Austria generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AT
82.3 yrs
JP
84.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AT
3.2
JP
1.9

Japan generally does better on family life, though Austria leads in education spending.

Data: Federal Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vienna Tokyo
Jan–Mar 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) 53°/37°F (12°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) 73°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) 63°/49°F (17°/9°C)
View all months
Month Vienna Tokyo
Jan 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C)
Feb 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C)
Mar 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C)
May 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C)
Jun 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C)
Jul 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
Sep 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C)
Nov 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C)
Dec 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C)

Data: GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria, Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Austria and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.

Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Japan without a visa.
Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Free
Japan passport holders can enter Austria without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Japan than Austria?

Yes — Japan is on average about 37% cheaper than Austria. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Japan?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥1,913,710 in Japan on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Japan?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Japan has 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Japan safe for expats?

Japan performs significantly better than Austria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Austria.

How is healthcare in Japan compared to Austria?

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 55.1 in Austria. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Austria: 85).

What's the weather like in Japan compared to Austria?

The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 58°F in Vienna. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Vienna gets 24.4 in.

What language do they speak in Japan?

The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Austria, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

AT JP
Population 8,913,088 124,214,766
Currency Euro (€) Japanese Yen (¥)
Languages German Japanese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +43 +81
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 110