Moving to Oregon from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Japan to Oregon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Japan to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 81.0% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,183,450 salary in Japan would need to be roughly $105,172 in Oregon 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 ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Japan to Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

¥12,183,450 $105,172

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.5 times more

Groceries

pay 25.2% more

Transportation

pay 0.9% less

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 JPY = 0.0062 USD (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.

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 Oregon cost about 62% more than cities in Japan.

Japan

Tokyo 45%
Chiba 44%
Nagoya 38%
Kyoto 37%

Oregon

Portland 68%
Beaverton 66%
Bend 66%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Japan to Oregon, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Japan to Oregon.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

JP
4.3%
OR
31.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

JP
83.0%
OR
91.8%

Oregon performs significantly better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.6%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$46,300
OR
$61,622

Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JP
84.8 yrs
OR
78.8 yrs

Japan performs better than Oregon across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

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

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Salem
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Salem
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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 Oregon than Japan?

No — Oregon is on average about 40% more expensive than Japan. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $26,293 in Oregon on a ¥12,183,450 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Oregon?

Usually fine from major cities in Oregon. 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 Oregon compared to Japan?

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

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

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Oregon?

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

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At a Glance

JP
Population 124,214,766 3,831,074
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