Moving to Japan from Nepal
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nepal to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Nepal to Japan, you would find that Japan is 3.6 times more expensive than Nepal overall. A NPR11,534,086 salary in Nepal would need to be roughly ¥23,545,898 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Nepal to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
NPR11,534,086 → ¥23,545,898
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.0 times more
Groceries
pay 3.5 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 6.0 times more
Childcare
pay 5.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Nepal to Japan, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
Key Indicator Comparison
How Nepal and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than Nepal across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Nepal generally does better on environment, though Japan leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Nepal leads in water stress level.
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
Japan performs significantly better than Nepal across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Nepal leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kathmandu | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kathmandu | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
Department of Hydrology and meteorology,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nepal and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Nepal passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Required
Japan passport holder visiting Nepal
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Japan than Nepal?
Day-to-day costs in Japan run about 93% higher than Nepal on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NPR11,534,086 comparable salary, that's around ¥5,886,474 in Japan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
With 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Japan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Nepal and Japan.
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than Nepal across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Nepal.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Nepal?
Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 8.7 in Nepal. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nepal: 54).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Nepal?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 77°F in Kathmandu. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kathmandu gets 56.1 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Nepal, the official language is Nepali.
