Teach English in Japan (Cost of Living)

Cost of Living in Japan

For living costs, earning opportunities and potential to save money, Japan is still one of the best countries in the world to teach English. More importantly, the food and culture are absolutely amazing. You’ll need to factor in all those variables when you choose the country you want to teach English in. Most people still have the impression that Japan is insanely expensive from all the stories that were spread in the eighties. While you can still buy hundred-dollar melons at high-end department stores and eat $200 meals at premium restaurants, Japan is much more affordable than you might imagine.

Japanese English Teaching Salaries

In the past, there was a government set minimum salary for teachers in Japan of 250,000 yen per month(US$2315). This rule is no longer strictly followed and many schools try to pay less for novice teachers. However, with the shortage of reliable English teachers in Japan, most schools still pay in the 250,000 yen to 280,000 yen range for 25 to 30 teaching hours per week, about 10 paid national holidays and two weeks of vacations.

Beware of misleading salary information with some schools. One of the big chains advertises up to 3000 yen per hour (US$27) for 40-minute classes. What this means is that you will be paid up to 2000 yen per class because you are not being paid for preparation time between classes. This is not a very good salary considering you would have to teach 7 classes per day to earn what a typical English teacher in Japan does. Many of the schools paying per class, only have a few classes per day to offer as well so it is harder to make ends meet and you won’t have any paid holidays. With that said, it is possible to get some higher-paid part-time business classes that can be quite lucrative. It is not unrealistic to make 6,000 yen or more per class with the right students. You can earn even more if they are your own private students.

Salaries are fairly consistent where ever you live in Japan but costs can vary a lot. Living expenses will definitely increase the closer you get to the center of large cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, or even Nagoya, but it is still possible to save a decent portion of your salary. Most employers will pay travel expenses to work in addition to your regular salary so commuting will be covered by your employer. Many companies also arrange accommodations for teachers with some basic furniture.

Check out this page for more detailed information and real examples of English teaching Salaries in Japan.

One interesting fact about Japan is that it is still largely a cash-based society, so it is still quite common to receive salaries in cash every month from the smaller schools. The larger chain English schools in Japan will require you to set up a bank account to receive your salary, but you will likely be paid in cash from smaller English schools.

Living Costs in Japan

Most people have the image of Japan as being an incredibly expensive country. This may have been accurate in the past, but with the decline in the value of the Japanese yen and years of low or even negative inflation, costs of living in Japan are comparable to most western countries.

Expect to pay about 60,000 yen to 80,000 yen (US$540 to $720) for a shared apartment in a larger city and much less in more rural areas. Many teachers in smaller towns homestay with a Japanese family for very little money or sometimes free in exchange for English lessons. There are also inexpensive monthly apartments from companies like LeoPalace that can be found for under 50,000 yen for a small studio style apartment with a loft sleeping area. As Japan ages, rural areas are becoming very affordable. It is easier than ever to rent a cheap house, provided you are willing to live further from a train station in a more remote location.

Getting your own apartment in Japan can be difficult. You will often need a guarantor to sponsor you and some landlords also charge four to six months rent in gift money (called key money in Japan) to the landlord. The advantage of doing this is that you will get a completely refurbished apartment at a lower rent than your company-sponsored accommodation. If you are only going to be in Japan for a short time, stay in foreigner focused or company-sponsored apartments. They are not as clean, but this will save you a lot of time and upfront money. You will be responsible for your own utilities regardless of where you live.

Here is a rough breakdown of living costs in Japan: