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Utility Bill Optimizer

電気・ガス料金比較

💡 Save ¥10,000 - ¥50,000 per year by switching electricity or gas!

Japan deregulated utilities in 2016. You can now choose your provider!

Compare Providers

100 kWh300 kWh600 kWh

💡 Yamada Hack: Bundle for Extra Savings!

Many providers give 5-10% discount when you bundle electricity + gas. Rakuten also gives you Rakuten Points on both!

  • • ENEOS: Bundle electricity + gas for extra discount
  • • Rakuten: Get Rakuten Points on utilities
  • • au: Bundle with phone for Ponta points

How to Switch (Easy!)

1

Choose new provider

Pick from the list above and visit their website

2

Apply online

Fill out the form with your current supply number (お客様番号)

3

Wait for switch

New provider handles everything. Usually 2-4 weeks.

4

No interruption

Your electricity/gas never stops. Seamless switch!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Can foreigners switch electricity/gas providers?

✅ Yes! Anyone with a residence card can switch. You just need your current bill or customer number (お客様番号).

❓ Will my electricity/gas stop during the switch?

✅ No! The switch is seamless. You won't notice any interruption in service.

❓ Are cheaper providers reliable?

✅ Yes! They use the same power grid and gas pipes. Only billing changes, not the actual service.

❓ Do I need to cancel my current provider?

✅ No! Your new provider handles the cancellation automatically.

❓ What is お客様番号?

✅ Your customer number. Find it on your current electricity/gas bill. You need this to switch.

❓ Which provider has English support?

✅ TEPCO (electricity) and Tokyo Gas have English support. Most discount providers are Japanese-only.

Important Notes

  • • Prices shown are estimates for Tokyo area (2026)
  • • Actual rates vary by region and may change
  • • Some providers have minimum contract periods
  • • Check your apartment rules - some buildings have fixed providers

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Frequently Asked Questions

A single person living in a typical Japanese apartment pays approximately ¥5,000 to ¥12,000 for electricity (higher in summer and winter due to air conditioning and heating), ¥3,000 to ¥6,000 for city gas used for cooking and hot water, and ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 for water billed every two months (averaging ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 monthly). Total monthly utility costs for a single person are typically ¥10,000 to ¥22,000, though these utility figures increase significantly for families or those with inefficient heating systems.
Cheapest electricity providers vary by region and usage pattern, but nationally competitive options include Looopでんき (Looopdenki), CDエナジー (CD Energy Direct), and ENEOSでんき among those most frequently ranked lowest in comparison tools. Switching from the regional monopoly electricity provider to a new entrant (shinnyu jigyo sha) typically saves ¥5,000 to ¥15,000 per year for an average household. Use this utility comparison tool to compare current plans by your prefecture and monthly usage volume.
Gas deregulation in Japan applies only to areas served by piped city gas networks, primarily the Tokyo metropolitan and Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan areas. In those deregulated regions, you can choose from multiple gas suppliers to potentially save on your monthly bill. In most rural areas and regions served only by propane (LP) gas, you can switch between propane providers but the market is less competitive. Water supply remains a non-switchable local monopoly nationwide.
Japan's water bill is issued every two months and consists of a fixed base charge (kihon ryoukin) based on meter diameter plus a variable usage fee per cubic meter that increases in tiers as usage rises. Average cost for a single person is approximately ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 per two-month billing period. Unlike electricity and gas, water service in Japan cannot be switched to a different provider as it is a regulated local monopoly operated by each municipality.
The most cost-effective heating approach in Japan is to use a kerosene (tōyu) fan heater as your primary heat source, as kerosene costs roughly one-third the equivalent energy from electric heating. For secondary warmth, a kotatsu heated table uses minimal electricity and heats the person directly rather than the room. Insulating windows with bubble wrap or thermal film significantly reduces heat loss in older apartments, and setting your air conditioner heating mode to 20°C rather than higher temperatures can cut running costs by 20% to 30%.

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