Moving to Japan from India
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from India to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from India to Japan, you would find that Japan is 3.8 times more expensive than India overall. A ₹7,160,385 salary in India would need to be roughly ¥32,111,842 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 88°F in Delhi, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from India to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
₹7,160,385 → ¥32,111,842
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 4.1 times more
Transportation
pay 4.4 times more
Housing
pay 4.3 times more
Childcare
pay 6.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 times more
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 120% more than cities in India.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from India to Japan, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
10.35,936
India
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from India to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than India 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
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
India 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
Japan performs significantly better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in top income tax 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 India leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Government of India, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Delhi | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Delhi | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
India Meteorological Department,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between India 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.
India passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Required
Japan passport holder visiting India
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 India?
No — Japan is on average about 165% more expensive than India. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥8,027,960 in Japan on a ₹7,160,385 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 India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.8 in India.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to India?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 7.3 in India. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (India: 63).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to India?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 88°F in Delhi. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Delhi gets 28.2 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In India, the official languages are English, Hindi and Tamil.
