Whether you are actually planning on moving there, or just dreaming about it; knowing which are the 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in Japan, will help you figure out if a life on the Japanese islands can fit your budget.
With the world’s highest life expectancy rate -80 for men and 87 for women, according to the World Health Organization, and one of the world’s highest standards of living, the idea of a new life in Japan can sound very tempting to some.
Japan was very reclusive for a large part of its history, but since it opened up to the western world in the mid 19th century, it started an age-long cultural exchange that still goes on today. But still, though very westernized, Japanese culture still hangs on to a lot of its own rites and traditions, so it is recommended for foreigners to be familiarised with Japanese language and customs, before embarking on the journey of migrating to this country.
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Though cheaper than some of its middle-eastern counterparts, Japanese cities still rank among some of the most expensive to live in Asia; and because of the country’s mountainous geography, most of them are located near the coasts, giving way to very densely populated areas. There are over twelve cities in Japan with a population that tops a million inhabitants.
Using a similar method to the one used in our previous article, 10 most expensive cities to live in Germany, we put together all the information provided by Expatistan and Numbeo. These sites gather up user-contributed information on each city’s food, housing, transportation, clothing and entertainment costs, and give out an average rating of the city’s overall living expenses. We checked this information against the Property Price Index Report provided by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Mercer’s Report on the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates. Each city got a particular ranking depending on the source. We added up every ranking and made an average to give you our list of the 10 most expensive cities to live in Japan. Which one do you think will be first? A little hint: It’s not Tokyo!
10. Kyoto
Being the capital city of Imperial Japan for more than a thousand years, Kyoto’s heritage is very rich in culture and architecture, containing thousands of temples, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But don’t let this fact fool you since Kyoto still manages to be a very modern city, housing many IT companies including the Nintendo Headquarters.
9. Niigata
If you can get past the rainy and snowy weather, Niigata will charm you with its Botanical Gardens and port-town cityscapes. Becoming a free port in the 19th century, its activity helped shape Japan’s current economic strength.
8. Chiba
Also a port city, Chiba carries a large portion of Japan’s international cargo. Getting around there is easy thanks to the existence of the Chiba Urban Monorail, the longest monorail in the world.
7. Yokohama
Yokohama started out as a small fishing village, that grew rapidly, when turned into a major port during the 19th century, following pressure from the American Government. The largest city in Japan by population – aside from Tokyo-, and one of the largest in our 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in Japan list.
6. Hamamatsu
Having Japan’s highest concentration of music instruments and motorcycle companies, Hamamatsu houses the headquarters of Roland, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda, which makes it a good destination for anyone wanting to find work in any of those industries.
5. Okayama
Home to Kōraku-en, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, Okayama features many cityscapes that make it one of the most beautiful cities to live in Japan.
4. Osaka
With a metropolitan area of over 19 million, Osaka is one of the largest cities on our list and the third largest in Japan. One of the country’s economic centers, it offers a wide range of cultural activities including a unique gastronomic life, that earned it the nickname “Japan’s culinary capital”.
3. Shizuoka
With its hot summers and placid winters, Shizuoka stands as a great city for anyone wanting to live close to nature, since its name literally means “calm hills”. It stands aside Mount Aino, Japan’s fourth tallest peak.
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2. Tokyo
What to say about Japan’s largest and capital city? One of the world’s most important centers concerning finance, culture and politics. It has everything a big metropolis can offer, with a special regional uniqueness that makes it different from most Global Cities, especially those of the Western Hemisphere.
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1. Hachioji
Surrounded by forests and mountains it’s one of Japan’s favourite destination for hiking and nature sightseeing. As one of the ten largest cities in the Greater Tokyo Area, it’s no surprise, given its closeness to the world’s biggest metropolitan area and its natural scenery, Hachioji ranks first on our ranking of the 10 most expensive cities to live in Japan.
