Moving to Japan from Germany
What to Expect
Considering a move from Germany to Japan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Germany to Japan, you would find that Japan is 33.7% cheaper than Germany overall. A €67,000 salary in Germany would need to be roughly ¥7,880,000 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 56°F in Berlin, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Germany and Japan.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → ¥7,880,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 61.2% less
Groceries
pay 4.3% more
Transportation
pay 31.7% less
Housing
pay 42.8% less
Childcare
pay 27.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.9% 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 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 Germany.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Germany to Japan.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
- · · ·
-
20.7,477
Germany
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Japan compared to Germany.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than Germany across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Germany generally does better on environment, though Japan leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though Japan leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Berlin | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Japan Meteorological AgencyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.
Germany passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan passport holder visiting Germany
Visa FreeData: 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 Germany?
On average Japan is about 34% less expensive than Germany, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Budget about ¥1,970,000 for 3 months in Japan (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Japan: 38.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Japan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than Germany across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Germany. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Germany?
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 45.3 in Germany. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Germany, the official language is German.
