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Apartment hunting is always difficult anywhere and even more so in Japan if you are an expat. Some landlords would not rent an apartment to expats while others would only do so if you have a "sponsor". To make finding an apartment easier for you here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Typical expat apartments cost more than ¥350,000/month, is fully furnished and requires 4 to 6 months deposit but no key money.
2. There are additional costs to renting an expat apartment like the
- tesuu-ryo - equivalent to 1 months rent plus 5% tax
- shiki-kin - equivalent to 4-6 months rent
- rei-kin - gift money
3. No one is allowed to buy a car in Japan without a parking space. Although most apartment complexes offer parking spaces it is best to make sure of this if you plan on driving a car. Parking space is also usually not included in the monthly rent and usually costs around ¥40,000 to ¥70,000 per month.
4. Location is very important. To have an idea of which residential neighborhood would best suit you please read the overview of the residential areas in Tokyo.
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