My wife and I have lived in Japan together for more than 4 years now and both work as English teachers. We haven’t moved up in pay (520,000 yen combined/month) really since we both have basic to conversational Japanese. I know we should be better with this amount of time here. We just have to speak English all the time and also a bit of lack of motivation on our part so it’s hard.
We were wondering if anyone can give any advice if they’ve lived in LA or the area. My friend has referred me to his company and I have interviews lined up with the management already so I’ve started researching about living costs. I’m from the Midwest and haven’t been back since before the pandemic, so I am not sure how living is now with inflation, but I’ve heard it is worse.
Since it is California and Los Angeles of all places, I’m not sure how feasible it is financially. We want kids eventually so Japan is best for that one reason we feel due to government financial assistance for birth and family costs as well as free healthcare for the kids plus the childcare leave for both parents. General comfort wise, our general comfort in Japan is okay but bad because of pay and the language barrier. We do want to eventually go to the States to raise our kids.
My office would be right next to LAX, I’ll get a car from my dad and my pay will $85,000-$90,000. Take home is $2,520-$2,650 bi weekly. I’d have to get my wife a visa eventually since she’s not a citizen. I would be the only one earning for a few months until we get her visa sorted out and she can find a job. I don’t know if this pay is enough for 2 people in LA. I’d love to abide by the 50/30/20 rule.
How okay will we be given this financial information? We have seen so many ranges of “comfortable” life numbers and don’t know much. We are unsure if this salary is enough for us to pack our bags and leave or stay here for a bit more till we can find better opportunities.
Any advice or thoughts would be great.
TLDR: refered for a job in LA. Might move, but costly. Are we better here with no upward movement?
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What kind of job? I think it depends on the kind of upwards mobility you would have to grow your salary year over year
Depending on what’s your field of experience, is the US your only choice? Nothing wrong with California; I just think, if you’re at cross roads, you might as well think about the rest of the world, too. A few years in Europe, the Middle East or elsewhere may add valuable experience to your “toolbox” and would look nice on your CV.
How is this even a question? It sounds like you got handed a golden ticket. Of course you should go.
What skills do you have to think you’ll do any better in LA where the cost of living can be many times what Japan is.
$90k in LA…that isn’t enough.
I was born and raised in L.A., but I have never worked there, so my information might not be the most accurate. I think the cost of living is top 5 in the U.S. The money will be tight with only one income. I think once you have two income life will be more comfortable. You will definitely need a car. I would recommend you live near where you work because traffic is just awful. Maybe this just me, but I would avoid any cities mentioned in rap songs. I like to live near the coast because it can get 100F during the summer in the inland areas, at least it is dry heat unlike here.
It depends what you value. And it already seems like you have decided, which is fine. I’ll add my two cents anyway.
I would say that the ceiling is arguably higher for you and your kids moving to the US, but there are many more complex political issues awaiting you there. America is, and has always been the land of high risk and high reward. If this aligns with your values, it’s a seemingly good match. However, a huge gap in social order, the ongoing and extreme opioid crisis, exposure to gun violence, woke culture, lack of affordable health care, etc. You need to ask yourself if these are things you AND your wife are ready and willing to deal with.
You mentioned the financial cost being an issue. California is one of the most expensive states to live in and many people have moved away for good reason. Even workers earning 6 figures have cited that their income post-tax is not enough for the “middle-class”life they envisioned.
My financial situation is different from yours and everyone else’s. Japan is by no means perfect, but I’ve chosen it as my home and I’m happy and satisfied with my life here. I hope you can make the correct decision as well, OP. Take care.
If you think about upwards trajectory, LA or the US in general will have far more opportunities. But that’s honestly mostly due to your current skillset. If you and your wife is dead set in raising kids in Japan, either both of you will have to vastly improve your Japanese language skills and/or skill up in tech/IT.
I’m honestly partial to LA, just because the Korean and Mexican cuisine is vastly superior to what Japan can offer (at the moment). As for COL, it’s going to be incredibly pricy compared to Japan. Doing a quick search on Apartments.com, I see a handful of apartments (1 bedroom) hovering the $1-1.5k range. But that should be doable with $85k + maybe $20-30k from your wife working any part-time job at a Wal-Mart/etc.
Which part of LA? If it’s in the not so good area then it should be fine but I don’t recommend. I think eventually she would want to move to Torrance or better part of OC which it could cost a lot.
I think the main things you’ll want to research and think about are rent (cost and location) and commute, but it’s doable depending on your preferences.
Since you mentioned your office is near LAX, I’m assuming you’re going to need to go into the office at least part of the week. If it’s a mostly remote thing then you have a lot more options.
Accommodations (in a nicer area) near LAX are likely going to be $2k+ a month for a 1 bedroom or bigger. If you don’t mind commuting for a long time (or can work uncommon shifts to avoid traffic) then you can likely find better deals farther outside of that area. There are always some rare gems from kinder private owners, but I’m my experience you need to be able to go see them and apply immediately, they don’t last.
Oh, and if your wife is Japanese, I’d recommend checking out Torrance, huge Japanese community there. Especially if your office is south of LAX. The Mar Vista area also has a pretty solid Japanese community (Sawtelle/little Osaka), but I think it’s going to be a lot cheaper around Torrance.
It depends all on your budget. You will likely have some sticker shock if you move back to US. $90k isn’t what it used to be, definitely a stretch with your eventual kids. Make a budget and compare. Get real numbers (look up grocery stores, craigslist rent, utility prices in specific zip code you’re interested in). You can do this info quite simply, don’t trust internet strangers to do it accurately for you, getting direct source numbers is always best.
I lived in Honolulu HI and our living costs were never higher than 70k annually, but I live a minimalist life so it’s fun to cut costs. Most people would not be comfortable at 70k. Honolulu is worse than most places in California for cost of living.
I’d suggest kids here until 3-5 for better gov support and kids can still adapt fairly easily to major change. Speak lots of English and read in English at home so they will be decently fluent. Build skills for life in US in mean time. Do some practice interviews to see what job market is like and what you could expect.
What Life is better is too subjective. Your earning potential to cost of living will be better in US for your specific situation in almost every way. I personally think lifestyle is better in many measurable ways here (less violent crime, convenient relatively cheap transport compared to car ownership in US, much cheaper healthcare, I feel like I can trust people in Japan to have common courtesy more, etc). But it’s not all roses as you know.
Yes
If you have a job lined up, I vote LA. I used to be the “Nippon ichi!” type but my last vacation back to the states after COVID was bliss. I went back in May and I’m going again in September. Might be a permanent switch but I’m not sure yet. If not then I’ll be back again in December.
America was just a lot better for my mental health and the pay is so much better. I make 37k here. That is unacceptable at my age. I’m not 37 but japanese people will tell you that you should at least be making your age yearly… I could make 3x my age in America. I’m outta here lol
Lived in LA, SF, Tokyo, and also originally from midwest.
LA is great, but supporting 2 people on 90k won’t be great. It’s doable, but you won’t be able save much unless you’re both quite frugal. Working around LAX means you’ll need to bite the bullet and pay high west LA rents or deal with grueling LA traffic from east LA or the valley.
I’d recommend sucking it up and paying the higher rent somewhere like Culver City. Driving in La sucks so much.
Upward mobility and salary growth will be easier to access in LA than Japan and your career won’t have a ceiling. For your wife, she will probably struggle the first year finding a job, but networking as much as possible right away will help that. Alternatively, she won’t get “forever outsider” experience like we do in Japan because the US is so diverse. Especially LA.
It will be a culture shock though. West LA is so fucking white it hurts. Some parts of south LA have pockets of Japanese communities though. And there are plenty of Asians and Asian grocery stores.
You’ll have to decide what kind of life you guys want. But, when you’re on your deathbeds, you’ll only regret the things you never tried.
Japan is a corporatocracy designed to keep the majority at serf level. If you stay too long, you can never leave because you’ll never be able to compete with the wealth back home.
If your barrier is just language and pay, why not learn the language and move to a different job? Have you considered the child care cost + insurance in the US? Not to mention education. I suggest both of you create a comparison cost with real data to see which option is better.
I think you need to do more research into getting your wife a visa. My friend moved back to the States last year, and getting her husband a spouse visa took a few years and a lot of money. He is Japanese.
No
No
Moved the partner to LA here after a year-long Visa, so I have some insight.
[The California Department of Housing and Community Development has recently published a report, and the Los Angeles County Area Median Income is now $98,200.](https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/grants-and-funding/income-limits-2023.pdf) $80,750 is considered the new low income for two people, with $94,300 being the new moderate.
Now, many of us have scoffed at this because while the cost of living in LA is very high, many couples and families are making do with much less. You’d just need to be smart with your expenses: Namely rent and food.
Your numbers are right, doing some napkin math too after federal, state taxes, FICA and state insurance taxes, you’d have a little over 5k to play with. I was making around $5.5k a month take home and my wife and I made it work by making meals at home, driving a older paid-off car, and doing a lot of things involving nature. We still had money to eat out and not live like misers. Thanks to job changes and growth in incomes life has gotten a lot easier and more carefree.
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I highly suggest finding a place nearby where you work, both for your sanity and also to reduce mileage on your car which will be your biggest liability. somewhere like El Segundo but if you can stretch it Redondo Beach or Torrance where you can still be within reach or Japanese grocery stores etc.
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AlsoI would anticipate you would eventually move into the six-figure range sooner than later, and your wife’s potential contributions to your household income will undoubtedly make your lives more comfortable. That increased income growth will prove beneficial, regardless of whether you choose to reside in Los Angeles or Japan in the future.
Dude LA is a dump, go some where else with low taxes and save some money! I left California long ago couldn’t stand paying high taxes for nothing.
If you’re near LAX your wife, who I’m assuming is bilingual, might be able to land a job with the airlines. In any case, the best of luck to you both.
Most of LA is now a violent 3rd world dump with awful traffic. Weather is great IF you are near the coast, and also those neighborhoods in the south bay are safer but way more money.
Anyone who wants to downvote me obviously has never spent time in LA and especially post covid, the homelessness and crime is off the charts. Sad fall for a once great place.
Left California for a smallish prefectural capital in Japan. I took a 60% pay cut when I moved here. My standard of living and quality of life are MUCH better in Japan. I have more disposable income in Japan on less than half the pay that I did in California. I also don’t have an hour commute by car (I have a 10 minute commute by bike). Every situation is different but 85-90k is not THAT much in California. Kids and medical stuff in the US is outrageous, as I’m sure you know.