How to rent an apartment in Tokyo for foreigners! Includes rent rates!
When foreigners are looking for a place to live in Tokyo, they often ask themselves, "How do I find a place to live in Japan, where the culture and language are so different? How do I sign a contract? How much is the rent? How much is the market rent?
In addition, there are "Japan-specific rental rules" that are difficult for foreigners to understand, and many foreigners have difficulty finding housing in Japan.
In this issue, we will teach you the "HOW TO" of finding an apartment in Tokyo, from basic information on renting an apartment and the market rent price to the procedures for foreigners to rent an apartment, as well as other useful information for foreigners to help them smoothly find an apartment in Tokyo!
Basic information for foreigners looking for housing in Tokyo
To start a new life in Tokyo, Japan, let's first sort out the basic information for renting an apartment and the market rent you are interested in.
What are the types of rental properties in Tokyo?
Rental properties in Tokyo can be broadly divided into the following five types
1. detached "single family" house
Living in a house offers flexibility, but unfortunately, there are almost no properties available for rent to individual foreigners due to cultural and language barriers.
2. public housing complexes "apartment complexes
This property is like a low-cost housing complex overseas. As it is publicly operated, government designated approval is required for foreign residents to move in.
3. a "condominium" of three or more stories, which is higher grade than an apartment
This property is like an overseas condominium. Room layouts can be chosen according to the number of people, from a single person to a family or a group of friends. Higher class and more secure than apartments, these relatively inexpensive properties are popular among foreigners.
4. two-story "apartments" of wood or light steel construction
The nuances of apartments are different from those in other countries. Most of the apartments have one or two room layouts, making them suitable for one person or a small group of people. Rents are also relatively reasonable, making them popular with long-term foreign residents.
5. "Shared house" shared by several people
Shared houses utilizing condominiums and serviced apartments are conveniently located in central Tokyo and in areas where many foreigners live. They are popular among foreigners for short-term stays because the rental procedure is easy and they are pre-equipped with furniture and appliances that can be shared.
Due to the above property conditions, many long-term stay foreigners use reasonably priced apartments or inexpensive condominiums.
Now, let's look at the market price of rent, which is of great interest to us.
What is the rent rate for apartments in Tokyo?
For newcomers to Tokyo who are new to the city, accessibility as well as price is an important factor to consider.
Let's look at the approximate rent prices in each of the 23 wards of Tokyo, which are easily accessible, roughly divided into central and downtown areas.
| Room size (approximate number of people) | Rental rates in the central district | Rents in the downtown area |
| STUDIO ((1 person living alone)) | Approx. 70,000-82,000 yen | Approx. 56,000-75,000 yen |
| 1K - 1DK ((single person living)) | Approx. 87,000-96,000 yen | Approx. 62,000-82,000 yen |
| 1LDK - 2DK (((1-2 persons living))) | Approximately 124,000-167,000 yen | Approx. 80,000-112,000 yen |
| 2LDK - 3DK (((2-3 persons living))) | Approx. 170,000-245,000 yen | Approx. 100,000-150,000 yen |
| 3LDK - 4DK (((3-4 people living))) | Approx. 210,000-313,000 yen | Approx. 120,000-190,000 yen |
(annotation K=kitchen, D=Dining room, L=Living room)
Click here to see the market price of rent in suumo Kanto version! :https://suumo.jp/chintai/soba/tokyo/
Prices for rental properties vary widely depending on location and room size.
The key to deciding on a desired property from among the many rental properties is to use (1) your budget, (2) accessibility to the city center, and (3) areas where many foreigners live as a guide.
Be aware of the unique rental situation in Japan, which is difficult for foreigners to understand.
When a foreigner rents an apartment in Tokyo, there is a "unique Japanese rental situation" that is difficult for foreigners to understand.
- There is a culture of key money.
- Security deposits (deposits) are not fully refundable.
- Renewal fees will be charged at the time of renewal.
- Many rental properties are unfurnished.
These rules are a major cost burden when signing a lease and should be understood in advance. Each of these rules will be explained in detail.
There is a culture of key money.
Key money is money paid to the landlord or management company as a thank-you for approximately one month's rent, and is basically non-refundable. Since this is a culture that does not exist in other countries, many foreigners wonder why the renter pays "thank-you money" to the landlord in addition to the deposit and security deposit (deposit).
Security deposits (deposits) are not fully refundable.
There is a unique Japanese rule regarding the security deposit (shikikin). In other countries, the full amount of the deposit is refunded upon termination of the lease, but in Japan, the landlord deducts the cost of cleaning and restoring the room to its original condition from the deposit, and the remainder is returned. In some cases, you may be asked to pay the shortfall.
Renewal fees will be charged at the time of renewal.
A renewal fee is a cost incurred when you want to renew the contract of a property, which is also non-refundable. The rule is the exact opposite of overseas, where extending the contract and living in the property for a longer period of time can be beneficial to the landlord, but it can be costly.
Many rental properties are unfurnished.
When renting a residence overseas, many properties are furnished or have appliances, but in many cases, Japanese rental properties are basically unfurnished or without appliances.
To start your new life in Tokyo comfortably, you may want to include choosing a furnished or appliance-equipped apartment as one of your choices.
Basic Procedures for Renting an Apartment in Tokyo for Foreigners
When a foreigner rents an apartment in Tokyo, there are several processes to pass the tenant screening process in addition to the cost. In fact, we will explain the basic procedures for renting an apartment.
Requirements to pass the tenant screening
In order for a foreigner to rent an apartment in Tokyo, the following tenant screening is required in order to sign a rental contract.
- ContinuedProof of ability to pay rent."Doing.
- I have a resident card.what we are doing
- The hardest hurdle for foreigners.I have a co-signer."after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to
In addition, Japanese language skills may be required to communicate with property vendors and owners.
Don't give up thinking that these procedures are too difficult for foreigners. We will introduce you to a service that can help you find a house and complete the contract procedures on your behalf, which is a great service for foreigners.
Easiest way for foreigners to find the best place to live in Tokyo.
When a foreigner who is new to Japan starts a new life in Tokyo, there are many initial costs involved, such as housing procedures, purchasing daily necessities, and many other things.
We will give you the best rental information that will help you find the best home at a low initial cost.
Choose "no deposit and key money" to save on the initial cost of the contract.
For foreigners, the "deposit and key money" rental rules are baffling. The market rate is two to three months' rent, which can be quite a painful expense.
Such complicated "deposit and key money" free apartments are increasingly being offered in Tokyo, mainly by major real estate companies. The simple contract process, which is easy for foreigners to understand and saves initial costs, has attracted a lot of attention recently.
For information on rentals with no security deposit and key money, please contact us.click hereFrom!
Choose a "furnished" apartment, complete with household goods, ready for immediate occupancy.
Most apartments and condominiums for rent in Japan are unfurnished or without appliances, and there are few FULL FURNISHED or SEMI FURNISHED apartments, which are common in other countries.
It is difficult to start a comfortable life in Tokyo without any daily necessities even after signing a contract. Moreover, the expense of larger appliances and furniture is significant, and the cost of moving in is also high.
Although the monthly rent is a bit more expensive, it is one way to look for a furnished apartment. In addition, for short-term stays of less than one year, we recommend using a furniture and appliance rental service.
Click here for information on furnished apartments!
Live in Japan: https://live-jpn.com/(Multilingual)
New to used furniture and appliances
Click here ▼ to see the services available for rent!
summary
Finding a place to live in Tokyo can often seem too demanding for foreigners due to the many restrictions.
However, if you understand the "Japan-specific rental rules" described here in advance, the hurdles to finding a house will be much lower.
There are also several rental information websites that can be accessed from overseas and offer multilingual information in English, Chinese, and other languages, as well as services that take care of all the difficult contract procedures on your behalf.
