Moving to Japan from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Japan, you would find that Japan is 33.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ¥6,812,563 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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ¥6,812,563
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 60.1% less
Groceries
pay 13.5% less
Transportation
pay 8.0% more
Housing
pay 53.5% less
Childcare
pay 60.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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 54% less than cities in United States.
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 United States to Japan, and how the trend has changed.
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.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
-
6.58,340
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly better than United States 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
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States 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
Japan performs significantly better than United States across all environment metrics.
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
United States performs 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United States 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
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
National Weather Service
Japan Meteorological AgencyVisitor 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 holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Generally yes: Japan runs about 44% cheaper than United States 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 ¥1,703,141 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 United States and Japan.
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to United States?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 36.1 in United States. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In United States, the official language is English.
