City guide
🇯🇵 Living in Tokyo
The world's largest metropolis, exceptionally safe and efficient, with rich culture, moderate taxes, and surprisingly affordable rent
At a glance
Net salary calculator
Calculate your take-home pay in Tokyo with our detailed tax calculator.
Calculate net salary →Cost of living
| Rent (1-bed, center) | €1,087/mo |
| Rent (1-bed, suburb) | €611/mo |
| Groceries (single) | €205/mo |
| Groceries (family) | €533/mo |
| Transport pass | €66/mo |
| Restaurant (2 people, mid-range) | €38 |
| Coffee | €3.00 |
| Gym membership | €55/mo |
| Healthcare | Japan has universal public health insurance. Employees enrol in employees health insurance (kenko hoken) through their employer, with the cost shared between employer and employee and a standard 30 percent co-pay on most care |
Budget calculator
Build a detailed monthly budget for Tokyo based on your lifestyle.
Build your budget →Why choose Tokyo?
Moderate income tax for a major economy: an effective rate around 26 to 32 percent for a typical expat, including income tax and social insurance
Exceptional safety and cleanliness, with very low crime
World-class public transport and infrastructure in the world's largest metro
Surprisingly affordable rent for a global megacity
A rich culture: food, tradition, and a deep arts and design scene
Public health insurance for residents, through employees health insurance
Quality of life
Moving to Tokyo : checklist
- 1Secure a work visa: common routes are the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities visa and the Highly Skilled Professional points-based visa; Japan also offers a 6-month digital-nomad visa for short stays
- 2Enrol in employees health insurance through your employer; coverage is public, with a standard 30 percent co-pay
- 3Plan for the language: Japanese is the working language and English is limited in daily life and administration, so basic Japanese helps significantly
- 4Budget for rent: a central one-bedroom averages around 1,090 euros per month, affordable for a megacity
- 5Get a Suica or PASMO card for trains, metro, and buses
- 6Open a Japanese bank account and obtain a residence card (zairyu card) on arrival
- 7Note the France-Japan social security agreement: French workers posted temporarily can stay in the French system and avoid double pension contributions
Frequently asked questions
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