Moving to Japan from Cyprus

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cyprus to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cyprus to Japan, you would find that Japan is 26.4% cheaper than Cyprus overall. A €67,000 salary in Cyprus would need to be roughly ¥8,710,000 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 80°F in Nicosia, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Japan cheaper than Cyprus?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 53.5% less

Groceries

pay 8.9% more

Transportation

pay 17.3% less

Housing

pay 40.9% less

Childcare

pay 19.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 176.48 JPY (November 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.

What salary do you need in Japan?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → ¥8,710,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Japan

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

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 33% less than cities in Cyprus.

Cyprus

Limassol 61%

Japan

Tokyo ★ 43%
Chiba 40%
Kobe 38%
Saitama 36%
Hiroshima 30%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Cyprus to Japan, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
25 ↓ 47% vs 2022

people moved from Cyprus 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

How Cyprus and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CY
0.8
JP
0.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CY
3.9
JP
2.7

Japan performs significantly better than Cyprus across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CY
$4,538
JP
$5,365
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CY
35.6
JP
26.5

Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CY
16.0
JP
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CY
5.4t
JP
7.8t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CY
37.6
JP
38.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CY
30.5%
JP
36.6%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CY
4.9%
JP
2.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CY
$41,783
JP
$35,951

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CY
81.8 yrs
JP
84.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CY
4.1
JP
1.8

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Department of the Republic of Cyprus (2016), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this

Weather in Japan vs Cyprus

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nicosia Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
80° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nicosia Tokyo
Jan–Mar 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) 53°/37°F (12°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/60°F (29°/15°C) 73°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/71°F (36°/22°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) 63°/49°F (17°/9°C)
View all months
Month Nicosia Tokyo
Jan 60°/42°F (15.7°/5.8°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C)
Feb 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.0°C) 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C)
Mar 68°/46°F (20.1°/7.8°C) 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C)
Apr 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C)
May 85°/59°F (29.6°/15.2°C) 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C)
Jun 94°/68°F (34.3°/20.0°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C)
Jul 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
Sep 92°/67°F (33.6°/19.5°C) 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 84°/61°F (28.8°/15.9°C) 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C)
Nov 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.6°C) 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C)
Dec 64°/45°F (17.8°/7.3°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C)

Data: Department of Meteorology Department of Meteorology, Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency

Can you move from Cyprus to Japan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cyprus 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.

Cyprus passport

Cyprus passport holder visiting Japan

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

Japan passport holder visiting Cyprus

Visa Free
Japan passport holders can enter Cyprus 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 Cyprus?

Generally yes: Japan runs about 26% cheaper than Cyprus on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Japan?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around ¥2,177,500 in Japan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Japan?

With 38.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Japan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cyprus and Japan.

Is Japan safe for expats?

Japan performs significantly better than Cyprus across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Cyprus.

How is healthcare in Japan compared to Cyprus?

Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 35.6 in Cyprus. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cyprus: 81).

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

The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 80°F in Nicosia. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Nicosia gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in Japan?

The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Cyprus, the official languages are Greek and Turkish.

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At a Glance

CY JP
Population 1,370,754 123,366,734
Currency Euro (€) Japanese Yen (¥)
Languages Greek, Turkish Japanese
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +357 +81
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 110