What You Get in Tokyo for $1,800/Month
What is a typical 1-bedroom (1LDK) apartment in central Tokyo actually like? My approx. $1,800/month apartment in Setagaya, Tokyo.
Tokyo is one of the world’s major cities and one of its biggest.
There are more than 37 million people in the greater metropolitan area, almost 14 million in the city proper, and Tokyo has the biggest economy of any city in the world. It’s safe to say that space comes at a premium.
Just like my previous $950/month Tokyo studio apartment, you will either find this $1,800/month 1-bedroom apartment expensive or a good deal, depending on where you’re from.
The location
As with anywhere, the location has a lot to do with the price. The metropolitan area of Tokyo is made up of 23 wards, and each operates with some autonomy. Because of this, each has slightly different residential taxes and average rent prices.
In fact, when comparing average rent prices between the cheapest and most expensive wards, the most expensive (Shibuya ward) is more than double the cheapest (Katsushika ward).
The average rent for a 1LDK (1-bedroom apartment) in central Tokyo (within the 23 wards) is said to be about ﾥ145,782 or $1,458 per month in 2022 [J].
Ward: Setagaya
My apartment was in the Setagaya ward which is west-southwest from the center of Tokyo. It has just under 1 million residents and is the second largest ward in Tokyo in terms of area. Its residential taxes and rent prices, while generally cheaper than others wards like Minato or Shibuya, is slightly above average.
The most well known area in Setagaya is probably Shimokitazawa, an area known for its subculture, thrift stores, small bars and live houses, and a spot where many performing artists get their starts.
This apartment is about 3 minutes from there by train.
Station: Kyodo
A Kyodo street in the snow
My wife and I chose an apartment in Kyodo [MAP] - a residential area about 15 minutes from Shinjuku and Shibuya.
There is one train line that goes to Kyodo - the Odakyu line. The Odakyu line goes from Shinjuku all the way out west to the Hachiōji area and down to Kanagawa prefecture.
The station and train lines that go through it are important factors when deciding where to live in Tokyo, and it also affects the price.
An Odakyu line train leaving Kyodo Station
At Kyodo Station, the regular and express trains stop, which makes it more desirable. The rapid express train doesn’t stop, however.
There are also some trains that become Chiyoda line trains. Personally, I think that the Chiyoda line is one of the best lines in Tokyo because it goes to popular areas such as Harajuku, Omotesando/Aoyama, Nogizaka (right next to Roppongi), Hibiya (next to Yurakucho and Ginza), Nijūbashimae (Marunouchi and Tokyo Station area).
It was also easy for me to get to work, taking around 40 minutes door-to-door with 1 easy transfer on the same platform or none at all.
Corty shopping complex
Our apartment was only a 5 minute walk from Kyodo station. Around the station area, there are about 3 supermarkets, dry cleaning, convenience stores, a gym, and other food places and coffee shops.
It’s also worth noting that Gotokuji and Yamashita station are only about 10 minutes away, making the Setagaya line also accessible.
The apartment building
Our apartment building in Kyodo
The apartment building is an 11-story concrete building built in 2010. In Japan, they refer to this type of apartment as a “mansion”, which tends to be more expensive to rent when compared to “apāto” types.
It’s a corner unit which is nice, but there wasn’t anything special about the view. It faces west and looked down at a main street below, and if you look around the corner, you can see the Shinjuku skyline in the distance.
Key features
“Auto-lock” - A secure entry system into the building (there’s actually 2 to get in)
Security camera system in the lobby and elevator
Video intercom to allow people into the building
Front desk/concierge service
Delivery boxes - A self-serve, secure locker system for box deliveries in case you’re not home
Courtyard area outside of the lobby
Car parking garage (extra fee) - A covered parking lot meet to the apartment building
Mail and delivery box area
The building is located next to the train tracks, so it can be a little on the noisy side when you’re outside. The apartments are equipped with double-paned glass so almost all of that noise is filtered out.
To the front of the west side of apartment is a gym, and the other side faces a street.
The apartment complex is owned by Odakyu, the same company that runs the train lines, has department stores and a lot more. They also run the promenade that leads up to the building from Kyodo station.
Lobby
The building has staff and a concierge that helps out with tasks such as mailing boxes, getting dry cleaning done, etc., however they come at an extra fee. The staff are really nice though.
Courtyard
The entire area, including the apartment building, are very well maintained by the Odakyu staff. They’re always cleaning, doing landscaping, and even worked through the night on a snowy night to clear the ice.
The apartment
Living room
This apartment is classified in Japan as a 1LDK, which means 1 bedroom, a living room, dining area, and a kitchen.
Apartment layout
Key features
47.15 sq. m (506 sq. ft.)
Stove with 3 gas burners, grill
TOTO toilet with remote bidet, heated seats, etc.
Bathroom with anti-fog heated mirror cabinet
Flat-floor shower and a tub that automatically fills, reheats and circulates water while maintaining temperature
Dryer function that allows clothes drying in the shower
Washing machine hookup with hot and cold water
2 AC/heater units (1 in living room, 1 in bedroom)
Large balcony with open-air view
2 sliding doors with double-paned glass
Higher than typical ceiling
Bedroom. For reference, the bed is a full-sized bed.
TOTO toilet, separate from the bathroom.
Bathroom with washing machine hook-up
Flat-floor shower and tub unit. Tub has functions like auto-fill, reheat, circulate. The shower also can dry clothes.
Balcony
Fees and costs
The monthly rent totaled to ¥180,000 or about $1,800 USD, depending on the exchange rate. This included the management and service fee of ¥7,000 ($70). When looking at the monthly costs, it’s pretty reasonable considering the size and density of the city, and quality of the apartment itself.
The initial costs, however, were a bit high as often is the case.
Initial costs
While exact costs may vary depending on the rental agency, it is typical that there will be a deposit and “key money” amongst a few other smaller fees. The key money is what was a bit different from any rental experience that I had.
There’s also the typical and non-refundable “thank you” fee to the property owner for letting us rent, it’s paid at the beginning of each contract term. This means that you’ll pay it again if you choose to stay at the location and renew for another 2 years.
Personally, I think it’s a ridiculous fee, especially if you’re a good renter because you’re the one actually helping the property owner out, but that’s the norm in Japan.
They take out a cleaning fee from the deposit when moving out.
My initial moving-in expenses were something like this:
Deposit: ¥180,000 (1-month’s rent)
Key/thank you money: ¥180,000
1st month’s rent: ¥180,000
Key fee: ¥22,000
Insurance: ¥10,400 (1/year)
Total: ¥572,400 (approx.)
It’s also worth mentioning that in Japan, the tenant is responsible for providing their own appliances.
This includes things like refrigerator, washing machine, and light fixtures. Luckily, electronics stores have sets for sale and you can find appliances at reasonable prices.
Utilities
The rent didn’t include any utilities.
Our monthly utility bills on average for 2 people were something like this:
Electricity: ¥5,576 (depending on season)
Gas: ¥4,804
Sewer & Water: ¥6,975 (once every 3 months)
Internet: ¥4,734
Total: ¥22,089/month (approx.)
I wrote more about utility costs in Tokyo here.
This may total to be more than a lot of other cities around the world. However, to get to live in one of the best cities in the world, a huge one at that, was worth it.
Check out more in Tokyo.
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Street Photography: Gotokuji & Kyodo, Tokyo
Going out on a snowy winter day to take street photos of Gotokuji and Kyodo, Tokyo.
Gotokuji and Kyodo, Tokyo, are two neighboring areas in Setagaya Ward. The famous “maneki neko” temple is in Gotokuji, and Kyodo is home to a university, some schools and a larger station
It began snowing heavily for Tokyo one winter day in 2022, and I decided to go our with my camera and make a video while I took some street photography.
I also made a video of myself taking these photos that winter evening. Please watch if you’re interested:
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Springtime Walk in Shimotakaido, Tokyo
Exploring the streets of Shimotakaido in Setagaya, Tokyo during cherry blossom season.
The Shimotakaido area of Setagaya, Tokyo, is a smaller, residential area with a few schools in the neighborhood. The main area is lively with a variety of shops and eateries, and its tunnel of cherry blossoms make for a nice walk during the springtime.
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A Snowy Spring Day in Tokyo
Photographing the streets of Setagaya, Tokyo on a snowy, spring day.
2020 has been an interesting year to say the least.
Amongst the odd occurrences was Tokyo getting its heaviest snow day of the season. The catch? It was in late March, after the cherry blossoms were already out.
Snow fall in the city is one of my favorite conditions to photograph, so I walked around the Kyodo area of Setagaya, Tokyo on this day.
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What You Get in Tokyo for $950/Month
What is a typical studio apartment in central Tokyo actually like? My approx. $950/month apartment in Setagaya, Tokyo.
Tokyo tends to have an image of being expensive. What we consider as expensive or cheap is relative, but if you’re from any major city in the US or Canada, you’ll likely think that renting in Tokyo is a pretty good deal, at least regarding the monthly costs.
As you could guess by the title, my rent for my first studio apartment in Tokyo was about $950 a month.
The location
As with anywhere, the location has a lot to do with the price. The metropolitan area of Tokyo is made up of 23 wards, and each operates with some autonomy. Because of this, each has slightly different residential taxes and average rent prices.
For reference, the average rent for a 1K studio in central Tokyo (within the 23 wards) is said to be about $870 in 2019 [J]. It’s not uncommon to pay a rent within the $700 range for a good place, however.
Ward: Setagaya
My apartment was in the Setagaya ward which is west-southwest from the center of Tokyo. It has just under 1 million residents and is the second largest ward in Tokyo in terms of area. Its residential taxes and rent prices, while generally cheaper than others wards like Minato or Shibuya, is slightly above average.
The most well known area in Setagaya is probably Shimokitazawa, an area known for its subculture, thrift stores, small bars and live houses, and a spot where many performing artists get their starts.
My apartment was about 10 minutes from there.
Station: Shimotakaido
I chose an apartment in Shimotakaido [MAP] - a residential area within 15 minutes of Shinjuku and Shibuya.
Main walking street in Shimotakaido
Two train lines go to Shimotakaido - the Keio line and the Setagaya street car line. The Keio line goes from Shinjuku all the way out west to the Hachiōji area. The Setagaya line connects Shimotakaido with Sangenjaya.
This area was very convenient for me because the Keio line connects to the TOEI Shinjuku line. This meant that I only had one easy transfer crossing the platform at Sasazuka Station, and sometimes none at all, to get to work which was around 35 minutes door-to-door.
My apartment was only a 3 minute walk from the station. The majority of the walk was along the main road with a 24-hour supermarket, dry cleaning service, Lawson and 7-11 convenience stores, and a lot more along the way. Extremely convenient.
The apartment building
Apartment building in Shimotakaido
The apartment building was a 12-story concrete building built in 2004. In Japan, they refer to this as a “mansion” (odd, I know). At the time I rented it, it was about 10 years old.
To the west, it had a view of Mount Fuji, and to the east a view of the downtown Shinjuku skyline.
Key features
“Auto-lock” - A secure entry system into the building
Security camera system in the lobby and elevator
Video intercom to allow people into the building
Delivery boxes - A self-serve locker system for box deliveries in case you’re not home
Secure bicycle parking (extra fee)
Mechanical car parking (extra fee) - A parking system that elevates cars to save space
The building was next to an expressway, so the lower floors may have been a little on the noisy side. To the front of it was an office building of about equal height and another apartment building was on the opposite side of the expressway.
A woman would come and clean the apartment almost every morning so the common areas of the building were pretty well kept.
The apartment
Room - For reference, the bed is a double/full size
My apartment was classified in Japan as a 1K, which means 1 room and a kitchen. It’s basically a simple studio. 1Ks are very common in Japan as living with non-family roommates isn’t typical, traditionally speaking.
Apartment layout
Key features
24 sq. m (258 sq. ft.)
Stove with 2 gas burners
Bathroom with shower, tub
Washing machine hookup
1 concrete “designer” wall
Balcony with half view of Shinjuku
Sliding door with double-paned glass and invisible retracting screen
Higher than typical ceiling, concrete
Hallway and kitchen area
Bathroom (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Shower and tub (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Intercom, AC remote holder, kitchen and hallway connecting to the room (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Balcony
Fees and costs
The monthly rent totaled to 95,000 JPY or about $950 USD. This included the management and service fee of 7,000 JPY ($70). When looking at the monthly costs, it’s pretty reasonable considering the size and density of the city, and quality of the apartment itself.
The initial costs, however, were a bit high.
Initial costs
While exact costs may vary depending on the rental agency, it is typical that there will be a deposit and “key money” amongst a few other smaller fees. The key money is what was a bit different from any rental experience that I had.
Poorly explained to me as a non-refundable “thank you” fee to the property owner for letting me rent, it’s paid at the beginning of each contract term. This means that you’ll pay it again if you choose to stay at the location and renew for another 2 years. Personally, I think it’s a ridiculous fee but that’s the norm in Japan.
Another fee I was charged was a cleaning fee that they used when I moved out.
My initial moving-in expenses were something like this:
Deposit: $950 (1-month’s rent)
Key/thank you money: $950
1st month’s rent: $950
Cleaning fee: $385
Key fee: $185
Insurance: ~$120 (1/year)
Debt collector fee: ~$100 (1/term)
Total: $3,640 (approx.)
Utilities
The rent didn’t include any utilities.
My monthly utility bills on average were something like this:
Electricity: $30-65 (depending on season)
Gas: $25
Sewer & Water: $30 (once every 3 months)
Internet: $45
Total: $110-$145/month (approx.)
This may total to more than a lot of other cities around the world. However, to get to live in one of the best cities in the world, a huge one at that, in my own place with my own bathroom and washing machine and everything, to me, was worth it.
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I share my experiences and tips for dealing with money if you're traveling or moving to Japan. My preferred banks in the U.S and Japan, how to use Apple Pay, and the credit cards that I use.