Moving to Colorado from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Japan to Colorado? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Japan to Colorado, you would find that Colorado is 2.0 times more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly $154,000 in Colorado to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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

Is Colorado cheaper than Japan?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.7 times more

Groceries

pay 26.1% more

Transportation

pay 11.7% more

Housing

pay 3.4 times more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 62.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 0.0064 USD (October 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 Colorado?

What does your salary buy?

¥12,000,000 → $154,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Colorado

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 Colorado cost about 83% more than cities in Japan.

Japan

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

Colorado

Boulder 70%
Longmont 65%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Colorado.

Moved in 2023
3,690 ↓ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Japan to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Colorado compared to Japan.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

JP
5.9%
CO
26.3%

Japan performs better than Colorado across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

JP
85.5%
CO
92.9%

Colorado performs significantly better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.5%
CO
3.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$35,951
CO
$74,650

Colorado 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

JP
84.0 yrs
CO
78.3 yrs

Japan performs better than Colorado across all family life metrics.

Weather in Colorado vs Japan

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Denver Rain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Denver
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 72°/43°F (22°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 85°/55°F (29°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Denver
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Japan to Colorado?

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

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Japan passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
United States 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 Colorado than Japan?

On average Colorado is around 102% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Colorado?

Budget about $38,500 for 3 months in Colorado (based on a ¥12,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Colorado?

From major Colorado cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Japan and Colorado are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Colorado compared to Japan?

Japan performs better than Colorado across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Denver is 65°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Denver receives around 14.3 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Colorado?

The official language in Colorado is English. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP
Population 123,366,734 6,012,561
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Japanese English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +81 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 110 911