Moving to Minnesota from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Minnesota — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 67.2% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly $127,000 in Minnesota 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Minneapolis averages 55°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Minnesota cheaper than Japan?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.5 times more
Groceries
pay 19.7% more
Transportation
pay 10.8% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.9% 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 Minnesota?
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → $127,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota
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 Minnesota cost about 59% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Minnesota
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Japan to Minnesota, and how the trend has changed.
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
How Japan and Minnesota stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Japan performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Minnesota 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
Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 31°/15°F (0°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 69°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 24°/8°F (-4.6°/-13.6°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 29°/13°F (-1.7°/-10.7°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 41°/24°F (5.2°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 58°/37°F (14.3°/2.9°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 79°/59°F (26.0°/14.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 80°/62°F (26.9°/16.6°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 72°/52°F (22.1°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 27°/12°F (-2.7°/-10.9°C) |
Japan Meteorological Agency
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Japan to Minnesota?
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 Minnesota than Japan?
Day-to-day costs in Minnesota run about 67% higher than Japan on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,000,000 comparable salary, that's around $31,750 in Minnesota for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Minnesota?
Working remotely from Minnesota's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Japan and Minnesota.
How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to Japan?
Japan performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Minnesota compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Minneapolis is 55°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Minneapolis receives around 30.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Minnesota?
The official language in Minnesota is English. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
