Moving to Japan from Taiwan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Taiwan to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Taiwan to Japan, you would find that Japan is 10.5% more expensive than Taiwan overall. A NT$2,400,000 salary in Taiwan would need to be roughly ¥12,900,000 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Japan cheaper than Taiwan?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 27.8% more
Groceries
pay 11.7% less
Transportation
pay 15.6% more
Housing
pay 30.2% more
Childcare
pay 29.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.8% 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 Japan?
What does your salary buy?
NT$2,400,000 → ¥12,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
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 Japan cost about 14% less than cities in Taiwan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Japan
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Taiwan 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 Taiwan and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Taiwan performs better than Japan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Taiwan generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
Japan performs significantly better than Taiwan across all family life metrics.
Sources: The World Factbook (2012–2022), World Bank (2024–2025), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016), National Tax Agency Japan (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Taiwan to Japan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Taiwan 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.
Taiwan passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan passport holder visiting Taiwan
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 Japan than Taiwan?
Day-to-day costs in Japan run about 11% higher than Taiwan 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 NT$2,400,000 comparable salary, that's around ¥3,225,000 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 Taiwan and Japan.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Taiwan, the official language is Chinese.
