Moving to Kentucky from Japan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Japan to Kentucky — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Japan to Kentucky, you would find that Kentucky is 55.8% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly $119,000 in Kentucky 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 Kentucky cheaper than Japan?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 15.2% more
Transportation
pay 6.2% less
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 2.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.6% 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.
What salary do you need in Kentucky?
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → $119,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kentucky
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Kentucky
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Japan to Kentucky, based on official data.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
29.319,968
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Japan to Kentucky.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Japan performs better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Kentucky performs significantly 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
Kentucky 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 better than Kentucky across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), The World Factbook (2013), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Kentucky vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 50°/32°F (10°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 86°/66°F (30°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 43°/27°F (6.1°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.2°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 58°/38°F (14.4°/3.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 69°/47°F (20.4°/8.5°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 89°/70°F (31.5°/21.1°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.3°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 70°/49°F (21.2°/9.4°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 46°/30°F (7.7°/-1.1°C) |
Japan Meteorological Agency
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Japan to Kentucky?
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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Japan
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 Kentucky than Japan?
No — Kentucky is on average about 56% more expensive than Japan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Kentucky?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $29,750 in Kentucky on a ¥12,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Kentucky?
Usually fine from major cities in Kentucky. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Kentucky compared to Japan?
Japan performs better than Kentucky across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Kentucky compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Louisville is 68°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Louisville receives around 44.9 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Kentucky?
The official language in Kentucky is English. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
