In Canada, I make about ¥20M\~ per year. In Japan, at most I’ll probably be making significantly less, but still higher than the average (approximately ¥12M-15M). My partner is newly part of a Profession that pays almost the same in Japan as in Canada (around ¥8M – ¥12M). We’re extremely lucky and fortunate to be in such a high income bracket. At the same time, life in Canada has deteriorated to the point that it’s not viable to stay here.
For so many reasons, this salary in Canada is barely making the cut to live comfortably. Buying a home is out of the question due to the significant life style changes that we’d suffer from to the point where it’s just not worth it to live here anymore. I’m sure many Canadians will find this predicament relatable.
We’ve been living in Canada (one of either Vancouver or Toronto) our entire lives. We’re in our mid-20s. Our parents moved here in the 90s so we could have better opportunities, and so we have benefitted from Canada so far, but it will be impossible for the next generation. We’re thinking long-term now, and we want a safe place to live that is affordable and will present opportunities for future kids.
We have family in Japan, and we have significant support there than anywhere else in the world, so Japan is our best choice for options in emigrating elsewhere. I’m already working with an immigration administrative scrivener so it’s already ongoing. Both my partner and I have degrees and can work in Japan in our respective fields, give or take some complex steps. Additionally, language is obviously a barrier but we’re both multi-lingual so picking up Japanese won’t be as difficult as a monolingual. We’re also very determined to learn Japanese because of familial ties and popularity of Japanese media. So, it’s not a question about if we should move to Japan in our current situation but what exactly will I expect in cost of living comparisons. I’ve checked from statistical benchmark sites, but want to hear first-hand experiences of this.
What realistically can we afford given conservatively we both will gross ¥15M per year in a city like Yokohama/Kawasaki? How about Tokyo? Can I afford to buy a home? Can I afford to live and go on vacation? Is it enough to raise a family? How has your life quality been impacted coming from a high cost of living city to Japan? I’ve heard some crazy posts saying you can live in Tokyo comfortably for around ¥200K per month. This is just simply not the case in Canada. You will be living in a shelter before you secure housing on that salary.
These questions have really been hard to answer because I don’t know anyone who has experienced Canadian cost of living that moved to Japan. Most Canadians who are moving are going down to the States but for many reasons we align closer to Japan than the States so that’s not in our cards.
We intend on moving to Japan forever, but at least for a few years. If we enjoy it we’ll get our PR and pursue citizenship.
Is there anyone specifically from Canada (or a similar high cost of living country) who can chime in on some of their experiences? It helps if you’re in tech and got a tech job in Japan.
Thank you for the long read.
TL;DR How much would ¥15M afford me in Kanto region. can you raise a family and live comfortably with this salary?
by EntertainmentMean771