Moving to Japan from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Japan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Japan, you would find that Japan is 42.6% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly ¥6,790,000 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 59°F in Chicago, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Japan cheaper than Illinois?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 57.3% less
Groceries
pay 15.4% less
Transportation
pay 10.8% less
Housing
pay 59.8% less
Childcare
pay 60.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Japan?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ¥6,790,000
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 36% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Japan
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to Japan.
people moved from United States to Japan · OECD (latest data available)
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
-
6.58,340
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Japan compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Japan performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Japan performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2013), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Japan vs Illinois
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Chicago | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Chicago | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
National Weather Service
Japan Meteorological AgencyCan you move from Illinois to Japan?
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
Visa Free
Japan passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Illinois?
On average Japan is about 43% less expensive than Illinois, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Budget about ¥1,697,500 for 3 months in Japan (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
From major Japan cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Japan are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Illinois?
Japan performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 59°F in Chicago. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Chicago gets 36.9 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Illinois, the official language is English.
