If keeping your monthly expenses low is a priority, one of the first things you’ll want to look at is your housing budget. The Tokyo 23 Ward average rent for a 1R apartment is about ¥72,000 ($675 USD). Is it possible to cut that way down to less than about $500 USD a month?!
In this feature, we highlight long-term apartments that are currently available now or in the next few months on Real Estate Japan with a Total Monthly Cost of $450 USD (¥48,000). Long-term apartments are apartments that require a minimum two-year lease.
You may expect to see examples of only 1K or 1R apartments but this isn’t the case! Let’s take a look at what’s out there at this seemingly impossible price point.
1R Apartment in Nogata – 13-min direct to Seibu Shinjuku Station – Approx $405 USD Total Monthly Cost
Total Monthly Cost: ¥43,000 ($405 USD)
Estimated Total Move In Cost: ¥163,200 ($1,531 USD)
Location: 4-minute walk from Nogata Station on the Seibu Shinjuku line in Nakano Ward, 13-min direct ride to Seibu Shinjuku Station
1K Apartment for Rent in Machida – About 35-minutes direct to JR Shinjuku
Total Monthly Cost: ¥42,976 ($404 USD)
Estimated Total Move In Cost: ¥204,476 ($1,918 USD)
Location: Machida City, western suburb of Tokyo
- 12 min. walk to Machida Station (JR Yokohama Line)
- 13 min walk to Machida Station (Odakyū Line)
- 28-min walk to Sagamiono Station (Odakyū Enoshima Line)
2K Apartment in Sagamihara – Plenty of space and closets!
Total Monthly Cost:¥47,414 ($445 USD)
Total Estimated Move-In Fees: ¥54,000 ($508 USD)
Location: 14-min Soubudai Mae Station on the Odakyu line. About 45-minutes to Yokohama Station and an hour commute to Shinjuku.
2K Apartment in Kawagoe — About 40-minute direct to Ikebukuro
Total Monthly Cost:¥46,000 ($432 USD)
Total Estimated Move-In Fees: ¥56,000 ($525 USD) — No deposit, no key money, no agency fee
Location: 10-min walk to Kawagoe-shi Station on the Tobu Tojo line in Kawagoe, Saitama
https://realestate.co.jp/rent/view/728786
2DK Apartment in Funabashi – But no bathtub or shower!
Total Monthly Cost:¥44,000 ($414 USD)
Total Estimated Move-In Fees: ¥54,000 ($508 USD) — No key money, no deposit, no agency fee
Next up is this spacious 45.36 m² 2DK apartment for rent in Funabashi, 3-min walk from Futawamukodai Station on the Shin-Keisei line, about a one-hour commute to Tokyo Station. It is also just 8-min direct to Kita Narashina Station, which is an interchange station that will give you access to the Toyo Rapid line.
This property is spacious for a 2DK and is certainly much more space than you would be able to rent in Tokyo. It has a huge amount of storage space and balcony access from both bathrooms. It’s also in a convenient location in Chiba, with a convenience store, supermarket, (fast food) restaurants, and even a karaoke joint nearby.
However, there is no bathroom or shower in this unit! For more on this, please see this article: Brief primer on budget apartments in Japan
Another important thing to note about this property is that it was built in 1962, and may have been earthquake retrofitted since then). In general, properties built after the 1981 earthquake building codes were implemented tend to be more desirable (because the building code was made more stringent that year, following the 1978 Miyagi quake). Older properties that have not been renovated or properties built before 1981 that have not been earthquake retrofitted tend to have lower average rents.
For the full listing, including photos, please see the property detail page here: 2DK apartment for rent in Funabashi.
What a ¥30,000 ($289) Tokyo Apartment Looks Like Video:
If you’re looking for a little more info on the extreme end of budget apartments in Tokyo, our staff writer Scott goes over a few budget listings and points out the interesting tidbits about these apartments in this video.
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