Tokyo Budget Rentals

What you can rent for $550 now in Tokyo

You can afford to live in Tokyo, even on a relatively small budget.

As we detail in this post on the average rent in Tokyo, you will typically pay about ¥97,000 ($970) a month for a studio or one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo’s 23 Wards. However, this is just a city-wide average. If you look a little outside the city center, you can still find bargains.

Recent yen appreciation also means that when we are converting from US dollars to Japanese yen, the greenback does not go as far, but there are still thousands of listings in our database that are budget friendly.

Here are just a few examples of what you can rent now in Tokyo for about $550 (¥55,000) a month. Also, please be aware that almost all rental apartments in Japan charge a monthly “maintenance fee” which is a fee that is used for upkeep of the common areas in the building; this will add to your monthly expenses. This is known as a CAM (common area maintenance) fee in the U.S.

Let’s take a look at the listings!

Studio Apartment, 13-min direct ride to Shinjuku

studio-apartment-for-rent-koenji-tokyo

  • Where: Shin Koenji Station on the Marunouchi Line, 13-min direct ride to Shinjuku.
  • Rent: ¥56,000 ($557)
  • Size: 16.5-sqm (177-sqft)
  • Key Money: None
  • Deposit: One month
  • Agency fee: One month
  • Maintenance fee: ¥7,000/month
  • Why: Not a big place but a good value for this neighborhood. This apartment is right on the Marunouchi line (Tokyo’s other loop line that roughly circles the city), giving you direct access to Shinjuku, Yotsuya, Ginza, Tokyo (Station), and Ikebukuro. The Koenji neighborhood itself  is a known for its shoutengai (商店街) shopping arcades, with many of the shops specializing in used clothing and music. There is also a branch of the up-market Queen’s Isetan supermarket chain near the station. And, of course, it’s only a 13-min direct ride to Shinjuku.

Studio Apartment, 16-min ride to Roppongi

studio-apartment-for-rent-toritsu-daigaku-station-tokyo
Studio apartment for rent near Toritsu Daigaku Station on the Tokyu Toyoko line, 9-min direct ride to Shibuya, 16-min ride to Roppongi with one transfer.¥55,000 ($547) a month rent. Please click on the photo for the full listing and to contact the agent.
  • Where: Toritsu Daigaku Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line, 9-min direct ride to Shibuya, 16-min ride to Roppongi with one transfer
  • Rent: ¥55,000 ($547)
  • Size: 12.08-sqm (130-sqft)
  • Key Money: None
  • Deposit: None
  • Agency fee: One month
  • Maintenance fee: ¥8,000/month
  • Why: This is not a spacious apartment but it is in an excellent location for getting quickly to Shibuya and Roppongi.

Two-bedroom Apartment, 16-min from Ueno

Two-bedroom 24.3-sqm apartment for rent near Kameido Station on the JR Chuo-Sobu line. Go a little outside the city center and you can get more space for your yen! Please click on the photo for the full listing and to contact the agent.
Two-bedroom 24.3-sqm apartment for rent near Kameido Station on the JR Chuo-Sobu line. Go a little outside the city center and you can get more space for your yen! Please click on the photo for the full listing and to contact the agent.
  • Where: Kameido Station on the JR Chuo-Sobu Line, 9-min direct to Akihabara, 16-min direct to Ueno
  • Rent: ¥55,000 ($547)
  • Size: 24.3-sqm (261-sqft)
  • Key Money: None
  • Deposit: None
  • Agency fee: One month
  • Maintenance fee: ¥5,000/month
  • Why: Two takeaways from this listing. First, you can get a lot more space for your hard-earned yen by living a little outside the city. Second, the JR Chuo-Sobu line is Tokyo’s main east-west train line. You can ride all the way from Chiba in the east to Mitaka City in the west on this one line, which means that it is a very convenient line to live on. Kameido itself is located in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, parts of which border Tokyo Bay (and the Odaiba area). There is a lot of good shopping near Kameido Station, including branches of MUJI, UNIQLO, and Don Quijote.

Studio Apartment, 30-min to Shinjuku

20.73-sqm studio apartment for rent near Shinseki Sakuragaoka Station. 30-min direct ride to Shinjuku by Special Express. Please click on the photo for the full listing and to contact the agent.
20.73-sqm studio apartment for rent near Shinseki Sakuragaoka Station. 30-min direct ride to Shinjuku by Special Express. Please click on the photo for the full listing and to contact the agent.
  • Where: Seiseki Sakuragaoka Station on the Keio line. 30-min direct ride to Shinjuku by Special Express (not the local)
  • Rent: ¥55,000 ($547)
  • Size: 20.73-sqm (223-sqft)
  • Key Money: None
  • Deposit: None
  • Agency fee: None
  • Maintenance fee: ¥3,000/month
  • Why: This studio apartment is located outside the city center, which means that you get a little more space than you would in this price range, if you were trying to rent closer to Shinjuku. Lots of restaurants, convenience stores, and a supermarket along the walk from the station. This property is being offered through the GPM Housing Service, which means that you can pay all your up-front costs and monthly rent with a credit card. Please click on the photo for the full listing and all the details. Not to mention: no key money, no deposit and no agency fee!

Shared Room in Share House, 2 Stops from Shibuya

bunk-in-share-house-kitasando-shibuya-tokyo
This is a shared room for rent in a share house located in the posh but relaxed Sendagaya neighborhood. Just two stops from Shibuya. Monthly rent is ¥57,000 + ¥7,000 maintenance fee. Please click on the photo for the full listing, more photos, and a video walk through.
  • Where: 3-min walk from Kita Sando Station on the Fukutoshin Line. Two stops direct to Shibuya.
  • Rent: ¥56,000 ($557)
  • Size: 18.96-sqm (204-sqft)
  • Key Money: None
  • Deposit: ¥15,000
  • Agency fee: ¥15,000
  • Maintenance fee: ¥7,000/month
  • Why: If you don’t need a lot of privacy and space and want to be near Shibuya without paying Shibuya prices, this is the place for you! This is a clean and conveniently located shared apartment just a 3-min walk from Kita Sando Station and a 5-min walk from JR Sendagaya Station. Easily walkable to Harajuku and Shinjuku. Senadagaya is a posh but relaxed neighborhood with a lot of boutiques and small cafes and restaurants. The house is near several convenience stores and a Starbucks. Separate male and female floors. Please see the full listing for a video walk-through and details.

You may also be interested in: Inexpensive neighborhoods near Shibuya

Search for: No key money budget rentals in Tokyo


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