How Much Does It Cost to Move Into an Apartment in Japan?

When you rent an apartment in Japan, the first payment is much bigger than one month’s rent. You pay several different fees before you get the keys, and many of them are unfamiliar to people from other countries. This guide explains each fee, what is normal, and how to pay less.

The short answer

Moving into an apartment in Japan often costs several months of rent. For example, with the typical values in our move-in cost calculator, a studio apartment with rent of ¥80,000 a month costs about ¥416,000 to move in. That is about 5.2 months of rent, and it does not include furniture.

What you pay when you move in

Deposit (shikikin)

Usually one or two months of rent. The landlord keeps it while you live there and uses it for unpaid rent or repairs when you move out. The rest should come back to you. Some apartments do not require a deposit.

Key money (reikin)

Often one or two months of rent. Key money is a gift to the landlord, and you do not get it back. Many people from other countries find this surprising. Many listings now have no key money, so look for them.

Agency fee

If you find the apartment through a real estate agent, you pay the agent a fee. Japan’s rules for real estate agents set a limit: for renting a home, the agent can charge you no more than half a month’s rent plus tax, unless you agree to pay more. The total fee the agent receives from you and the landlord together is no more than one month’s rent plus tax. In practice, many agents ask you for a full month’s rent, so check what you are agreeing to before you sign.

Guarantor company fee

Many landlords ask you to use a guarantor company. The first payment is often 50–100% of one month’s rent (sometimes including the management fee), and many companies also charge a yearly renewal fee. Read our guide: Do You Need a Guarantor to Rent in Japan? Guarantor Companies Explained

Fire insurance

Most contracts require fire insurance (a type of renters insurance). You usually pay for two years at once.

Lock change

Many landlords change the lock for each new tenant and charge you for it.

Rent in advance

You usually pay your first full month’s rent before you move in. If you move in in the middle of a month, you also pay for the rest of that month.

Other fees

Some contracts include extra fees for things like 24-hour support, cleaning, or disinfection. Some of these are optional, so ask the agent which ones you can remove.

Costs after you move in

• Furniture and appliances. Most apartments come without furniture, and many have no fridge, washing machine, or ceiling lights.
• Utilities and internet. You set up and pay for electricity, gas, water, and internet yourself.
• Renewal fee (koshinryo). In some areas, including Tokyo, many contracts include a renewal fee, often one month’s rent, every two years.

Costs when you move out

When you leave, the landlord may take cleaning and repair costs out of your deposit. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has guidelines for this: the landlord should pay for damage from normal use and age, such as sun-faded wallpaper. You pay for damage you cause, such as large holes from nails or screws. Check the special terms in your contract, and take photos of the room on the day you move in.

How to pay less

• Look for “no key money” or “no deposit” listings. These can save you one or more months of rent.
• Check the agency fee. Remember that you do not have to agree to more than half a month’s rent.
• Ask about optional fees. Fees for support services or disinfection can sometimes be removed.
• Consider UR rental housing (homes run by the Urban Renaissance Agency, a public agency). UR does not charge key money, agency fees, or renewal fees, and you do not need a guarantor.
• Start with a share house. Moving into a share house usually costs only a contract fee, a small deposit, and the first month’s rent. Rooms are furnished.

With the calculator’s typical values, moving into a share house room with rent of ¥48,000 a month costs about ¥120,000. Try your own numbers in the move-in cost calculator.

Sources

• Ministry of Construction (now MLIT), Notice No. 1552 of 1970, Fees Real Estate Agents May Receive for Sales and Leases. mlit.go.jp (Japanese)
• MLIT, Guidelines on Restoration and Related Disputes. mlit.go.jp (Japanese)
• Urban Renaissance Agency, UR Rental Housing Guide (English, PDF). ur-net.go.jp