Moving to Japan from Oklahoma

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Oklahoma to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Oklahoma to Japan, you would find that Japan is 27.9% cheaper than Oklahoma. A $75,000 salary in Oklahoma would need to be roughly ¥9,398,880 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Oklahoma to Japan.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ¥9,398,880

To maintain the same standard of living in Japan

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 55.5% less

Groceries

pay 4.0% less

Transportation

pay 13.6% more

Housing

pay 47.1% less

Childcare

pay 61.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 161.66 JPY (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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Oklahoma to Japan, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
19,684 ↑ 12% vs 2022

people moved from United States to Japan · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Japan?

Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Oklahoma and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OK
40.3%
JP
4.3%

Japan performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

OK
87.4%
JP
83.0%

Oklahoma performs better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OK
3.8%
JP
2.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OK
$51,007
JP
$46,300

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

OK
74.1 yrs
JP
84.8 yrs

Japan performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oklahoma City Rain: 32.4 in/yr (823 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oklahoma City Tokyo
Jan–Mar 55°/33°F (13°/0°C) 53°/37°F (12°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/58°F (26°/14°C) 73°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/69°F (32°/20°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/39°F (16°/4°C) 63°/49°F (17°/9°C)
View all months
Month Oklahoma City Tokyo
Jan 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.5°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C)
Feb 53°/31°F (11.9°/-0.6°C) 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C)
Mar 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C)
Apr 71°/48°F (21.5°/9.1°C) 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C)
May 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.7°C) 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C)
Jun 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.4°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C)
Jul 93°/72°F (34.0°/22.2°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 92°/71°F (33.6°/21.5°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
Sep 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.1°C) 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 72°/50°F (22.4°/10.1°C) 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C)
Nov 60°/39°F (15.6°/3.9°C) 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C)
Dec 49°/29°F (9.7°/-1.6°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Japan without a visa.
Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Japan passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

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 Japan than Oklahoma?

Generally yes: Japan runs about 22% cheaper than Oklahoma on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ¥2,349,720 in Japan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Japan?

Working remotely from Japan's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Oklahoma and Japan.

How is healthcare in Japan compared to Oklahoma?

Japan performs significantly better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 71°F in Oklahoma City. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Oklahoma City gets 32.4 in.

What language do they speak in Japan?

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

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At a Glance

JP
Population 3,751,351 124,214,766
Currency United States Dollar ($) Japanese Yen (¥)
Languages English Japanese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +81
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 110