Moving to Japan from Sri Lanka
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sri Lanka to Japan, you would find that Japan is 4.6 times more expensive than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR24,752,613 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly ¥17,484,003 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sri Lanka to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
LKR24,752,613 → ¥17,484,003
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 53.1% more
Groceries
pay 86.3% more
Transportation
pay 4.0 times more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 18.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 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?
How many people actually move from Sri Lanka to Japan, based on official data.
people moved from Sri Lanka to Japan · OECD (latest data available)
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
- · · ·
-
11.25,781
Sri Lanka
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sri Lanka to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka 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
Japan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Sri Lanka leads in top income tax rate.
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 performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all family life metrics.
Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Colombo | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Colombo | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
National Meteorological Centre,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.
Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Required
Japan passport holder visiting Sri Lanka
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Sri Lanka?
No — Japan is on average about 46% more expensive than Sri Lanka. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥4,371,001 in Japan on a LKR24,752,613 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Japan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Japan has 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka 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 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Sri Lanka?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.
