I am not just looking for a comparison with the U.S; I am talking about compared to the rest of the world. Japan is an island nation, so how does it compare in terms of expenses to other island nations such as the United Kingdom and Taiwan? Also, it is densely populated, so how does it compare to other densely-populated countries such as China and India?
Japan - 5 Answers
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1 :
Well, as it is an island nation, a lot of resources have to be imported. Electricity and gasoline are extremely expensive, sometimes up to $9 a liter (that's less than a gallon). The difference between Japan and China is that people in Japan can afford to buy things (i.e., cars) that use energy, so companies know there is a demand; the price goes up when demand is high. There's also a lack of space, as nearly all of the island is drastically mountainous, so property costs are very high as companies compete for available land. Edit: threedaypriest , you're right, had a typo there, I meant to put what I had seen on a picture I took of a sign once, it said 900 Y/ 6 liters.
2 :
Jayni is WAY off base on the cost of gasoline. It's current in the 130+ yen/L range, which is the highest I have ever seen it, and that translates to somewhere over $5/gallon. NOTE: And this is after the 'new' government took office and promised to bring gas prices down. Instead, they have risen about 25%. Go figure. That's why I think politicians apply negative atmospheric pressure.
3 :
On the flip side to the gasoline, Japan has one/ THE most efficient public transportation system in the entire world. If you are living in any major urban areas, there is no major reason to own a car. Of course people do own cars and it is expensive to own your own personal car in Japan. The thing is, it is all "subjective". Prices can be different, but the style of living is different to, so that is a major factor. Every year there are reports of "Tokyo being the most expensive city". Actually these reports (if you read them fully) are reports based on Foreigners who live/travel to Japan but do not adopt the "Japanese" way of living. As for population density: India is ranked number 32, Japan is ranked number 37 in the world, and China (People's Republic of China) is number 97. (1 is the highest population density, 239 is the lowest) The US is 178 in population density.
4 :
The answer to this question is quite difficult as the cost of living is all relative and difficult to compare. I lived in Japan for over 10 years and found the cost of things very reasonable. I also traveled all over the world and compared to Japan the prices are higher in other countries. Things like food, public transport, eating out, electronics, cars are much cheaper in Japan than most countries. Things like housing and rents can be more expensive if you live in major cities but are more than affordable if you live in the suburbs.
5 :
Japan is expensive, but the degree of cost is subjective and more so if you try to compare to such places as the UK and Taiwan. For example, a person who works for a multinational company sent to live in Japan usually are doing so with very generous cost of living adjustments in their salary (per diem for example) and if they try to maintain the lifestyle of their homeland, it may not seem very costly. But for a Japanese person or someone earning a Japanese wage to even attempt living like they do say in the UK or US would very quickly deplete their bank accounts. Housing is the most expensive hit to anyone's budget, follow by cost of food and utilities. But to the Japanese and the way they live and eat, it does not cost them as much compared to a gaijin living it up in Japan. For example, I have yet to meet a visitor from UK or US who can go without beef or some kind of meat for more than a couple of days. A Japanese or an expat who gone native would have no problem doing without beef. India is more densely populated than China, and China more than Japan. Plus, Japan has been facing a declining birthrate for several years straight and to such a degree that Japan has had to seek employees abroad to fill such positions as nurses for Japanese hospitals and elderly care.
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