Moving to Argentina from Japan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan to Argentina, you would find that Argentina is 4.0% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly ARS106,657,144 in Argentina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Guaraní and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Japan to Argentina.

What does your salary buy?

¥12,124,875 ARS106,657,144

To maintain the same standard of living in Argentina

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 75.3% more

Groceries

pay 22.6% less

Transportation

pay 25.1% less

Housing

pay 30.8% less

Childcare

pay 41.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 20.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 9.2 ARS (July 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
4,496 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Japan live in Argentina · UN DESA

Who's moving to Argentina?

Top countries of origin for Argentina's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

JP
0.2
AR
4.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

JP
83%
AR
48%

Japan performs better than Argentina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

JP
$5,365
AR
$3,089
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.1
AR
40.8

Argentina 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

JP
12.0
AR
29.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
AR
4.0t

Japan generally does better on environment, though Argentina leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JP
37.2
AR
24.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.0%
AR
10.5%

Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Argentina leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.6%
AR
6.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$46,300
AR
$26,500

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Argentina leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JP
84.8 yrs
AR
78.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.9
AR
9.3

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

Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Buenos Aires Rain: 48.7 in/yr (1237 mm)
73° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Buenos Aires
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 67°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 64°/48°F (17°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 78°/61°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Buenos Aires
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 84°/67°F (28.7°/19.2°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 80°/64°F (26.8°/17.7°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 73°/57°F (22.9°/13.8°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.7°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.1°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 60°/45°F (15.3°/7.4°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.8°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 67°/51°F (19.3°/10.3°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 73°/56°F (22.7°/13.3°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.4°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan and Argentina. To live, work, or study long-term in Argentina, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Argentina's immigration authority.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Argentina

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

Argentina passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
Argentina passport holders can enter Japan 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 Argentina than Japan?

Generally yes: Argentina runs about 4% cheaper than Japan on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Argentina?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,124,875 comparable salary, that's around ARS26,664,286 in Argentina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Argentina?

With 24.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Argentina can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Japan and Argentina.

Is Argentina safe for expats?

Japan performs better than Argentina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Argentina is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 48% of people in Argentina feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Argentina compared to Japan?

Argentina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 40.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Argentina, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Argentina scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Buenos Aires is 73°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Buenos Aires receives around 48.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Argentina?

The official languages in Argentina are Guaraní and Spanish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP AR
Population 124,214,766 46,245,668
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Argentine Peso (ARS)
Languages Japanese Guaraní, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +81 +54
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 911