Thinking of moving to Japan
Posted by throwaway84483994@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 12 comments
Hello!
I’m a 31M, software engineer with no dependents. I’ve encountered an opportunity for a software engineering job in Japan. The company is giving me the option to work in either Tokyo or Osaka, with a salary range between ¥3,600,000 and ¥4,300,000 (I will try to negotiate to the higher end obviously). This is still higher than what I am being paid here in my home country.
Would that be considered an affordable living wage in either city? I’m not looking to live super frugally or extravagantly. I'm just aiming for a comfortable, moderate lifestyle where I won't have to worry about bills every now and then.
The company will also cover flight tickets, visa costs, and provide free Japanese language training.
I'm still contemplating the move and am researching as much as I can what life in Japan is like. Also, how’s the work-life balance for people working in tech there?
Any advice or insights would be really appreciated. Thanks!
ShadowHunter@reddit
That's poverty wages
DifferentWindow1436@reddit
It's a very low wage for your skillset. 3.6M is a bit above what a new college grad makes and is closer to what a JET program teacher makes. 4.3M is better but is still low. You'll be ok living frugally. Affording trips home will be difficult or very budget travel unless you are from a country nearby.
We also have had inflation since COVID started, so this range looks really outdated to me.
Look at your life, career options and trajectory in your country and see if you really want this.
bloodr0se@reddit
I agree. No full stack developer should need to live on a ~$30k salary in one of the most expensive countries in the world.
Zip84121@reddit
Expensive? North America and Europe are much worse, even South Korea.
ConsciousSea2841@reddit
Foreigners are becoming less and less welcome in Japan and you will not integrate at all with locals
No_Translator8881@reddit
What YT videos for SALARYMAN TOKYO or any with the keywork SALARYMAN in the description. You can search and there are 3-4 good english language Japanese natives doing these videos.
4 million yen is a very low wage according to these guys. They live a life that I would not if the videos about living condition are accurate.
Gummy-Mochi@reddit
And most of the videos are exaggerated or wholly fictional clickbait. Why are you commenting here if you have never lived in Japan?
AmbitiousBear351@reddit
4.3 mln. is close to the average wage in Osaka, and you can lead a perfectly comfortable life on that without having to commute for hours and without having live 20 minutes walk away from the closest train station.
I wouldn't recommend living on less than 7 mil. in Tokyo, however there's also the fact that Tokyo has much better career opportunities, so you'll easily upgrade your income in a few years time.
Work-life balance is hit or miss, could be hell, or could be semi-"normal". Generally, prioritizing the company over personal life is considered the norm. I've had episodes where I'm working on a Sunday night until 2AM and then again in the morning from 9AM. This is legal in Japan. Though I think software developers have it much better in this regard.
DifferentWindow1436@reddit
But is it the average for OP's education level? For OP's job skills? Probably not.
Ok_Cress_56@reddit
Would be really interested what your particular skill set is that would cause a Japanese company to go through all this.
bloodr0se@reddit
It's actually not that difficult to secure employment based sponsorship in Japan, especially in tech and engineering.
A lot of Japanese companies outsource tech and IT roles to the likes of TCS and Accenture who will then actively recruit talent from overseas.
throwaway84483994@reddit (OP)
I’m a full-stack developer.