🇯🇵 Japan · Tier A

Moving to Tokyo

Tokyo's monthly rents are lower than most people expect for a city of its size. What catches everyone out is the entry cost: key money, deposit, agency fee, guarantor company fee, fire insurance and a lock change, all payable at signing. The other reality is that a share of landlords will not rent to foreign tenants at all, which narrows the market before you have seen a single flat.

Get matched in Tokyo What it costs

City tier: Tier A; major hubs
Full home search: $899; Starter, flat fee
Search + setup: $1,900; Premium, flat fee
Check one listing: $49; Verify, per visit

Where to live

Neighbourhoods in Tokyo

Your Insidoor walks these before they shortlist anything, and will tell you which one actually fits how you live.

Nakameguro & Daikanyama

Young professionals, couples

River, cafés, and a short ride to Shibuya. Popular, and priced for it.

Setagaya (Sangenjaya, Shimokitazawa)

Families, longer stays

More space, quieter streets, and still fifteen minutes from the centre.

Nakano & Koenji

Value seekers

On the Chuo line, cheaper than anywhere comparable to the south, with a strong local scene.

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa & Kuramae

Couples, creatives

East of the centre, low-rise, coffee roasters and craft studios. Better value than the west.

What it costs to rent

Indicative rents

Monthly, unfurnished, excluding management fee (kanrihi) of ¥5,000–20,000.

1K / 1DK, central wards¥110,000 – ¥180,000

1LDK, central wards¥180,000 – ¥280,000

1K, outer wards¥75,000 – ¥110,000

Indicative only, last checked 2 September 2026. Rents move; your Insidoor confirms what the market is actually doing before you commit to anything.

What catches people out

The Tokyo traps

Every market has its own way of costing newcomers money. These are the ones worth knowing before you start.

Move-in costs of four to six months' rent

Key money (reikin) is a non-refundable gift to the landlord of nought to two months. Add the deposit, the agency fee, the guarantor company fee, fire insurance and a lock change. This is normal, and it is a lot of cash.

Foreigner-refused listings

A meaningful share of properties are marked as not available to foreign tenants. It is legal and common. Working with an agency that filters for this saves weeks of dead ends.

The guarantor company is not optional

Most landlords require a guarantor company even if you have a Japanese employer. Their fee is typically half to a full month's rent, plus an annual renewal.

After the keys

The admin that follows a move

On Premium, your Insidoor does this with you rather than sending you a checklist. Timing in Tokyo: Four to six weeks, and have the move-in cost liquid before you start.

Residence card and ward registration

Register your address at the ward office within 14 days of moving in. The resident record that follows is what everything else asks for.

National health insurance and pension

Enrolled at the same ward office visit if you are not covered through an employer.

Bank account and phone

A classic loop: some banks want a phone number, some carriers want a bank account. A residence card plus your ward registration usually breaks it.

Utilities

Electricity, gas and water are set up separately, and the gas connection requires someone to be home for the appointment.

Language. Japanese for leases, agencies and ward offices. English support is limited outside specialist agencies. Your Insidoor works with you in English and negotiates on your behalf in whatever the lease is written in.

Pricing for Tokyo