Skip to main content
Obon Holiday Period36 days left
Residence Tax (2nd)54 days left
Back to Home

Moving Cost Calculator

引越し費用計算

🏠 Know BEFORE you move! Moving in Japan costs ¥200,000-¥800,000+

Calculate Your Moving Cost

💡 Yamada Hack: Save Money on Moving

  • • Avoid March-April - prices are 2x higher
  • • Get 3+ quotes - use 引越し侍 or SUUMO for comparison
  • • Weekday moves - cheaper than weekends
  • • Negotiate - ask "もう少し安くできますか？"
  • • Look for 敷金礼金なし - no deposit/key money apartments

❓ FAQ

❓ Why is moving so expensive in Japan?

✅ You pay moving company PLUS 4-6 months of rent upfront (deposit, key money, agency fee, etc.).

❓ What is key money (礼金)?

✅ A 'thank you' gift to the landlord. Non-refundable. Many foreigners find apartments without key money.

❓ Can I negotiate moving costs?

✅ Yes! Get quotes from 3+ companies. Ask for discounts on weekdays or off-peak times.

❓ When is the cheapest time to move?

✅ May-January is cheapest. Avoid March-April (new school/work year) when prices double.

Related Tools

UR Housing Navigator →Rent Negotiator →Utility Comparison →

Frequently Asked Questions

Moving costs in Japan vary significantly by distance, volume, and timing: a single person moving within the same city typically pays ¥30,000 to ¥80,000, while moving between prefectures costs ¥50,000 to ¥150,000. Family moves with furniture range from ¥80,000 to ¥300,000 or more. These moving estimates can more than double during Japan's peak moving season in March and April when student and employee relocations peak and all major moving companies are fully booked months in advance.
Budget-friendly moving options in Japan include: Sakai Moving Service (sakaimenkou) which has competitive pricing and English-language support, Art Moving Service, and Akabou (literally 'red cap') which handles single-item transport. For very small moves, renting a kei truck (¥5,000 to ¥15,000 per day) and moving yourself is cheapest. Shipping boxes via yamato transport's takkyubin service is another low-cost option for belongings when moving between distant prefectures.
Avoid March and April when moving prices in Japan can double or triple due to the simultaneous surge in school graduations, university enrollment, and company transfers during Japan's fiscal year change. The cheapest months for moving in Japan are June through August and November through January. Within any given month, moving on a weekday and in the middle of the month (avoiding start and end of month) typically yields the lowest quotes from moving companies.
Japan's moving process requires advance coordination across multiple parties: notify your landlord per your contract terms (usually 1 to 2 months before moving out), book a moving company at least 3 to 6 weeks in advance during peak season, schedule the apartment cleaning inspection, file your change of address at city hall, notify your bank, employer, insurance providers, and credit card companies, redirect your mail at the post office (Japan Post offers a 1-year mail forwarding service), and arrange utility transfers for electricity, gas, and water.
Japan's address change requires two separate administrative filings: first, submit a tenshutsu todoke (moving-out notification) at your current city hall before you move, which takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Then within 14 days of establishing your new residence, submit a tennyu todoke (moving-in notification) at your new city hall with your residence card and the transfer certificate from your old city hall. Staff update your residence card with the new address on the spot, and this updated card should be used to notify all related institutions.

Related Tools

UR Housing

Find apartments

Rent Negotiator

Negotiate rent

Utilities

Set up utilities

Address Converter

Convert new address