Moving to Japan from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Japan, you would find that Japan is 40.8% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly ¥6,816,360 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. What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Japan. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → ¥6,816,360 To maintain the same standard of living in Japan Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 63.8% less Groceries pay 20.5% less Transportation pay 5.2% less Housing pay 60.2% less Childcare pay 69.2% less Entertainment and Sports pay 40.8% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Japan cost about 52% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. How many people actually move from California to Japan, based on official data. people moved from United States to Japan · OECD (latest data available) Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Japan. share of adults with obesity Japan performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. share of households with internet California performs better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth Japan performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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. United States passport holder visiting Japan Japan passport holder visiting United States Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Yes — Japan is on average about 44% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥1,704,090 in Japan on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). Usually fine from major cities in Japan. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries. Japan performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. The official language in Japan is Japanese. In California, the official language is English. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Get free moving quotes to Japan
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Who's moving to Japan?
United States Key Indicator Comparison
How's the healthcare?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Tokyo Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Tokyo Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Japan than California?
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Can I work remotely from Japan?
How is healthcare in Japan compared to California?
What's the weather like in Japan compared to California?
What language do they speak in Japan?
National Weather Service
Japan Meteorological Agency
