Moving to Oregon from Japan
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 78.9% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly $137,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Portland averages 56°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 Oregon cheaper than Japan?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 20.1% more
Transportation
pay 13.2% more
Housing
pay 2.8 times more
Childcare
pay 99.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.9% 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 Oregon?
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → $137,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon
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 Oregon cost about 65% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Oregon
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Japan to Oregon, 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 Oregon.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Japan performs better than Oregon across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Oregon 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
Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 36°/18°F (2°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 76°/56°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 48°/30°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 31°/13°F (-0.4°/-10.3°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 35°/16°F (1.4°/-8.7°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 53°/35°F (11.8°/1.5°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 64°/44°F (17.5°/6.8°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 73°/54°F (22.9°/12.0°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 79°/59°F (26.0°/15.2°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 78°/58°F (25.4°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 70°/50°F (21.1°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 59°/39°F (14.8°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 48°/31°F (8.9°/-0.6°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 37°/20°F (2.9°/-6.4°C) |
Japan Meteorological Agency
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Japan to Oregon?
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 Oregon than Japan?
No — Oregon is on average about 79% 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 $34,250 in Oregon 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 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 Portland is 56°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Portland receives around 47.2 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.
