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-   -   Cost of living vs wage (https://www.japanforum.com/forum/living-japan/4299-cost-living-vs-wage.html)

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 12:56 AM

Cost of living vs wage
 
So im not sure if this was already posted somewhere on here or not but what is the cost of living in Japan i know it differs from place to place depending but is it comperable to the states? (where i live it costs 450USD/mo for the cheapest piece of crap you can find up to around 700USD/mo for a decent 2 bed 1 bath) Also what is min wage in Japan or is there one? ANY Help would be nice!

Maku 05-06-2007 01:10 AM

Check the 'Teaching English in the JP' thread.

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 01:11 AM

k thanks i thought no one would post ha ha thanks for your help

Nyororin 05-06-2007 01:13 AM

I don`t know the official minimum wage, but the cheapest I ever spot around here it 650/hr.

But most people I know live on a salary, which is really the norm in Japan. Hourly pay is very part-time. If you have a full time job, there is no reason not to be a 正社員 and be paid a salary.
Salary varies a lot based on your line of work, age, qualifications, length of employment, etc. I`d say a common *starting* wage is 190,000/month before taxes.

Living costs in the city can be incredibly high. In the countryside, they can be quite low... However there is no work available in the countryside. Some people commute, but a 2 hour commute each way is not something you want to do each day if you can avoid it.

In Nagoya (Which is drastically cheaper than Tokyo, but still a very big city) the average one room is around 60,000/month, and for a nice 2 bedroom, it would be around 90,000/month. There are cheaper (but some are very old, decrepit, etc), and there are more expensive - very nice places run up to around 150,000/month. The bigger the apartment, the higher it goes.
It really depends on where in the city, how convenient it is to public transportation, etc. There really are no bad parts of town, so that has very little effect on the pricing.

As a side note - our friend (Japanese) in Tokyo makes 300,000/month before taxes and pays 180,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment inside the city. Apparently that was they cheapest he could find within 1 hour`s commute of his work. After taxes, rent, utilities and sparse food is paid for, he has like nothing left.
I really can`t understand at all why everyone wants to live in Tokyo. No matter how much you make, you end up living on a shoestring budget.

Maku 05-06-2007 01:14 AM

If its not there, look through somewhere in the mniddle of all my posts if you scan down them, and there should be a thread there that will suit your needs.

Uxintatei 05-06-2007 01:26 AM

xD
 
Things are more expensive in Japan, a Big Mac costs $6 there
But the people also get paid a lot more compared to what they would if they lived in America
Especially in big cities
At least that's why my research has told me

Nyororin 05-06-2007 01:43 AM

I don`t know for sure how much people are paid in the US, but the average salary in Japan isn`t really all that high. People just tend to be better with managing their money.
Around $35,000/year is average for a decent job in your late 20s. I would say a large majority is paid less, and of course there is the minority who makes a lot more.

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 01:58 AM

ha 30,0000 usd would be awesome i only make 13kusd now a year so id be happy with that or more .. thanks for the info! so far been really helpful if any one has more to share feel free anything helps me out!

Nyororin 05-06-2007 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandayanyan (Post 113727)
ha 30,0000 usd would be awesome i only make 13kusd now a year so id be happy with that or more .. thanks for the info! so far been really helpful if any one has more to share feel free anything helps me out!

What kind of work do you do?
When I say 30,000 - I mean for a full time salaried position requiring a university degree and other qualifications, and generally about 5 years experience. Also, that is before taxes. After taxes, you only get like 24,000 or so.

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 02:15 AM

true true I am assistant manager at radioshack makes about 760 an hour with a wage increase soon to 920 an hour so around 13 - 15k USD a year i guess before taxes... by the time I get to Japan I will be in a whole nother field of work (hopefully teaching language) so Im not sure what that pays.

Nyororin 05-06-2007 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandayanyan (Post 113742)
true true I am assistant manager at radioshack makes about 760 an hour with a wage increase soon to 920 an hour so around 13 - 15k USD a year i guess before taxes... by the time I get to Japan I will be in a whole nother field of work (hopefully teaching language) so Im not sure what that pays.

The teaching wage concerns would definitely be something to check in the Teaching English in the JP thread.
I seem to recall it being fixed to above 250,000/month.

Really though, I don`t think Japanese wages are all that high when compared to the cost of living. If you want to live in Tokyo, 250,000/month is going to be REALLY REALLY tight.

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 02:40 AM

i see.. hmm well the programme im looking into has some stations in tokyo but also pays a lil for your expenses too so it will be hard on the whole but depending on where i get stationed it may be easier or harder than i think.. i guess.

Tolbarizhei 05-06-2007 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandayanyan (Post 113742)
true true I am assistant manager at radioshack makes about 760 an hour with a wage increase soon to 920 an hour so around 13 - 15k USD a year i guess before taxes... by the time I get to Japan I will be in a whole nother field of work (hopefully teaching language) so Im not sure what that pays.

i just had to but in for a second here.. how cheap is rent over there since you only make 760/hr? i make 9/hr as a shift leader here in mass. though rent is sky high

Gemstoned 05-06-2007 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uxintatei (Post 113697)
Things are more expensive in Japan, a Big Mac costs $6 there
But the people also get paid a lot more compared to what they would if they lived in America
Especially in big cities
At least that's why my research has told me

I think you must be quoting an urban myth... A Big Mac set (with fries and a drink) costs Y580 - that's about $4.80. On its own, a Big Mac costs about $2.30.

jasonbvr 05-06-2007 02:36 PM

Wages for English teachers vary depending on experience and the type of instruction you are doing. Personally I wouldn't sign for anything less than 240,000 to 250,000 Yen a month, but I have seen a lot of positions paying less and the same number paying more.

If you are concerned about that being enough, trust me it is more than enough. English teachers fresh off the boat will complain about Japan being expensive, but honestly after the first few months you won't notice it at all. I pay out 500 USD a month for student loans, about 600 USD for rent and utilities, and the rest I have to travel and buy stuff I don't need.

That being said though, you can't really do this job for the money and I don't know anyone who does. Most teachers I know do it for the chance to travel, experience Japan, and basically to put the "get a real job" thing on hold. It is really funny when I talk to teachers on their way out and they say how terrified they are to be going home where they are going to have to work for a living.

But yeah, check the teaching thread and any questions you have, you know the drill.

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tolbarizhei (Post 113771)
i just had to but in for a second here.. how cheap is rent over there since you only make 760/hr? i make 9/hr as a shift leader here in mass. though rent is sky high

rent is usually anywhere from 450 usd /mo for the smallest piece of crap shack to 800usd /mo for a decent place.It would be hard but after commissions and bonuses i make somewhere between 9-13 /hr on average so i can barely make it. But it is just till im outta college so I can get by ya know?:D

pandayanyan 05-06-2007 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbvr (Post 114037)
Wages for English teachers vary depending on experience and the type of instruction you are doing. Personally I wouldn't sign for anything less than 240,000 to 250,000 Yen a month, but I have seen a lot of positions paying less and the same number paying more.

If you are concerned about that being enough, trust me it is more than enough. English teachers fresh off the boat will complain about Japan being expensive, but honestly after the first few months you won't notice it at all. I pay out 500 USD a month for student loans, about 600 USD for rent and utilities, and the rest I have to travel and buy stuff I don't need.

That being said though, you can't really do this job for the money and I don't know anyone who does. Most teachers I know do it for the chance to travel, experience Japan, and basically to put the "get a real job" thing on hold. It is really funny when I talk to teachers on their way out and they say how terrified they are to be going home where they are going to have to work for a living.

But yeah, check the teaching thread and any questions you have, you know the drill.

Yeah definately and that is why I want to do it too. I just want to make sure it will be enough for me and my wife to live on is all I dont spend extravegantly now just 15/mo for netflix and some extra for a cd or game here or there but nothing big.. big bills car/rent/utilities/insurance and so on...
p.s. does anyone have the link to that thread im having a hard time going there for some reason (stupid computer and stupid user lol):D

jasonbvr 05-07-2007 12:23 AM

Is your wife going to be working too?

http://www.japanforum.com/forum/livi...nglish-jp.html

pandayanyan 05-07-2007 12:33 AM

yes but she doesnt know what she will be doing so i figure min wage for her as an entry level position (if she makes more that is good but just to figure i will shoot as low as possible).


p.s. thanks for the link


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