As always I think it's highly dependant on you're living standards. Personally I'd live in those 1 room apartments that cost literally nothing if it meant staying out of debt and being able to have a good time.
Oh wow... the JET program has changed a lot... JETs used to be on a min of 300,000 a month and never had to pay certain tax amounts... that later changed... some used to get about 310,000... but 280,000... that's actually less than me. Your bills are huge... my water is 3150 every 2 months...my electric is often about 3-5000, and my gas is about 4-6000... I'm guess you used the AC unit for heating - they use way too much power...get a mini heater or a kotatsu table, they are cheaper to run... shower temp set to 39'C will save a lot of gas too... and in summer, use the dehumidifier mode on the AC to cool rather than the actual cooling setting.
Thank you so much for your videos! I will be starting my senior year of college this fall and then apply to this program after graduation. However, the lack of information on how one would live has deterred me but with your videos I feel much more comfortable with the idea of going! :)
Thank you for your comment! Yes it's very scary coming out here not knowing too much, but it's really amazing! :) if you work through the JET programme they will take care of everything for you. They're amazing! And I am so glad that my videos have helped you! If you have any more questions please feel free to ask!
The streets are such that it is so easy to get lost. How did you find it trying to get around at first? It is frustrating enough being able to read some Japanese from studying it at university. Just imagine arriving without any internet access for the first little bit until you settle in out of fear that you don't want to rack up roaming charges on from your home country. Sure you can get wifi access at various spots but it doesn't help you find your way around using googlemaps which you need data.
I just found your video. Thank you for this info! If anyone is wondering about the dates and why they are written kind of odd, it means the 28th year of that emperor. Whenever the emperor changes, then the dates start over.
Hey Jessica! I'm an incoming ALT that's going to be living in Kyoto starting in August. Your video was really informative for me when thinking about what my spending is gonna be like. I was actually surprised when I converted the yen-to-USD amount and found that your rent cost was actually ~$30 less than what my third is for a three-bedroom apartment in New Orleans (and that's really cheap for my area which is the wealthier part by Tulane University). This video was actually posted last year on my birthday when I was at Kansai Gaidai in Hirakata for a semester abroad. I was actually surprised at how much spending I did in Japan on just minor thing like kombini runs, public transportation, and arcades (6000 yen in a day D:). I was wondering where you think a lot of your expenses outside of bills went to. I don't go shopping much because I'm kind of a big person and clothes are extremely hard to find in my size (let me not get started on size 13 shoes), and omiyage-like gifts are something I reserve for special occasions because my family won't know the difference.
Thank you for sharing your video. It’s shame every time you withdraw money you are being charged but that’s the way it is. I am a student in Japan but soon I will go back to England to finish my degree.
Managing Finance is the only thing about me that im proud lol...can live in a 1 room appartment , dont really need much electricity as long as my phone is charged , dont really use AC or heater living in a country with different weathers and rarely talk to anyone on the phone so phone bill is non existant....u can say that my life is boring lol
Thank you for this, it's so useful! I was wondering if you have a video in which you talk about your groceries and preparing lunch. Or maybe you just eat outside? It would be cool to know :)
Sorry for the late reply! I buy my lunch from the conbini if I'm working at a junior high school. And at elementary I get school lunch for $2.62 which is a great price! On my days off I like to eat out to try the special foods of Kyoto.
When someone is accepted to the JET program, is movement of your household goods to Japan included? What can you take with you? What about pets, like small dogs?
Those are excellent questions! I'm so sorry for my super late reply! The JET Programme won't move any of your items for you into Japan, sadly. You'll most likely have to ship it yourself, or buy things off your predecessor in Japan. For Kyoto, we got an allowance to buy new furniture because the apartments had to be fully cleaned out after each ALT finished their stay. You can take anything you like with you into Japan, but you'll have to pay for it on your own. Pets can come with you, but the process takes months to get them properly immunized. Also, not all places accept animals. So if you do bring your pet you'll probably have to find your own place. Knowing how to speak Japanese would definitely help you with the process. I hope this helped!
Jessica Roh Thanks for the reply. The pet process sounds like what I had to go through a few years ago. I was stationed in Germany, and had to go through all types of loops to bring a dog I had back then to the U.S. with me. Also, I see I need to save for a while for moving some furniture. Thanks for the tips.
How do you get to choose or suggest where you want to be with JET? Like do they have a limited list of places they can get you or you just straight say what you want? I'm hoping to make it through JET for somewhere in Hokkaido and I never hear anyone experienced with JET talk about that location.
Sorry for my super late reply! With the JET Programme, the application lets you choose 3 locations that you'd like to be placed at. But 95% of the time you are placed somewhere random according to your own personality and abilities. I lucked out and got Kyoto city, which was my second choice to be placed at. Hokkaido is a great location for ALTs, from what I've heard. I wish you the best of luck!
So as I understand it, if you're placed in one of the bigger cities you'll be spending a lot of your time and money in that city with little chance to save, whereas if you want to travel more it's better to be placed in the countryside so that you have more of a chance to save your money?
This is so incredibly helpful, thank you so much for putting this information out there for us aspiring ALTs! I am married and am hoping to bring my husband with me when I go abroad with JET. Was the process of bringing him with you difficult? I would love to see a video about that!
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad this video was useful for you. The JET Programme makes bringing dependants very easy. I mean, it's a lot of paperwork but they make sure you know what to do at each step of the process. I will try to remember more about it and I'll totally make a video about it! :D Thank you very much!
Becca, if you are a woman, it is better to be married. Japan is a tough place to be for single gals. You don't want to date some Japanese guy who is fresh off the boat. (Or not even off the boat, Lol!) Japan is a nice place, but the men are misogynistic and they culturally accept sleeping with prostitutes. Now that is a deal breaker for most of our women, and some Japanese women don't care for their own men for this very reason. Japan is a wonderful place, but the dating scenes for western women are pretty much limited to the gaijin expat community.
Thanks so much for making this. So are you and your dependent both living on the JET payment? I want to live in a larger city, or within an hour or so of a large city, and am worried I wont be able to save money to travel abroad during breaks from school if I live in a large city. I will probably be arriving with 6,000-8,000 USD (if accepted). I'd like to keep as much of that as possible as an emergency fund. Living in a large city, and living conservatively, do you feel like you can save money FROM YOUR JET PAY to travel while you are there? Thank you!
When I went to the JET Weekend Orientations, they told us to go on JET not to save money, but to experience a cultural exchange and such. In other words, you can save some money while being on JET, but don't expect saving a lot though (especially if you're living in big cities or nearby).
I'm gonnna be a JET in a bit.. i'm worried about the money portion. I'm not gonna have a ton.. although i'm also going to be in a very rural area... Maybe it'll work out. Or maybe i'll be eating very little for a while haha.
I am so sorry for my super late reply!!! First of all, you should be perfectly fine. Because the rural areas grow local foods which makes them cheaper. You'll have local farmers gifting you food as well, from what I've heard from other ALTs in rural areas. I hope things are going good for you! How has it been for you so far?
Jessica Roh Heya! I'm up in Aomori now! haha i actually can't eat out turns out anyway. should be pretty good. Super rural a good 20min drive to the grocery haha
Hello! I am very interested in the JET program, but do you think it is possible for a two people to live on one Jet Salary? I noticed you said you have a dependent so I was just curious!
Hey, pleaaaase get in touch with me! I am desperate to get more information on moving to Japan with dependants! I can't find anyone who's done it. I want to know how the process was, was it easy, etc?
Hi ! thank you for such an informative video ! i was wondering did you get your designated preference in terms of your placement in kyoto? Im going to apply for the program soon however im not sure whether they will take my preferences into consideration? i really want to go kyoto as well seeing what a great city it is !
Hello! I'm so sorry for my late reply! I put Kyoto city down as my second choice and I was super delighted to get placed there. Most other ALTs didn't get where they wanted to be placed. But they still enjoyed their time on the JET Programme. I wish you the best of luck!! They'll take your placement preferences into account, but they'll also look at your personality and abilities and place you where they think you'll do best. Kyoto city was such an incredible place to be!! I hope you can also enjoy your time in Japan. :)
hi thank you for the video. I was wondering how much left over money do you average at the end of a typical month from one paycheck ( not including your dependents income). also I'm planning on teaching and my wife will be teaching as well. would you say it is difficult to get jobs in the same area doesn't need to be the same company so that neither of us would have to commute to far. thanks
hi jess, this might be a personal question but i was wondering if your partner was working and earning money too? just that i want to figure out if the fact that you are reaching so close to your limit is because there was only 1 income coming in or was it still racing that level with both incomes combined?
Good question! My dependant only had a dependant visa so she couldn't work. She also didn't know Japanese which held her back quite a bit. But it was very nice having someone to cook and clean and keep the house in order! :D
Do you know if it's possible for dependents to have a work visa so they can work too while you're doing the JET program or is it only possible for them to have a dependent visa?
What province would you recommend in Japan that would be both financially safe with out spending so much money from rent but close to the city where you could explore
Great question! I don't know much about Japan, but I do know that the ALTs living in more rural areas paid less for rent in general than those living within the bigger cities. Sadly I can't really answer your question because I don't know exactly which places are cheaper to live.
Mary Franck You don't actually decide how long you stay. They are the ones offering you to stay longer if they like you, apperciate your work, or if there is still a job to give. Then you can decide whether or not to stay for another year. :) Most people stay between one and three years. If they appreciate your work, they might offer you to stay for a fourth and a fifth year. I know a guy who is an exception and even stayed 6-7 years!
You save up money as the girl says. If you are Canadian or American, you should realize that going on the JET Program is not about making money, but about enjoying Japan. If you want to make money, just go up north and work or join the film industry. You will make at least double, if not triple. Up north, they pay for your housing and everything so you have no rent and you could save all the money if you want. And what is funny about this is that people can make this with only a high school education. Mind you it is not going to be as fun as working as a JET teacher. Even if you chose to get a B.Ed and get a teacher job in Canada, you can make $80K a year. Teachers do end up making six figures later on if money is your focus, stay in Canada.
I'm American and American teachers don't make shit lol And I thought JET alts are the only alts who actually make a livable wage? A lot of videos on here talk about that.. Like yeah the goal isn't to make a LOT of money, but I don't want to be just scraping by either because I went with a different company.
No, masi, I know that in Vancover the wages are far better than anywhere in Japan. You could work up north and make 6 figures in Canada if you wanted. (I don't mean just teaching). Japanese wages are a joke. That is what migrant workers earn, not regular Canadians. But if you want to teach English in Japan for a cultural experience, I think it is okay since cost of living is a lot lower than in Japan.
That's an excellent question. A popular opinion is to definitely bring money with you. I brought $4000 for my dependant and I. It lasted us about a month since we had to furnish our entire apartment. The JET Programme suggested for you to bring money. It definitely helps transitioning into a new country.
Programme is the British way of spelling it. Program is the American way. Japan has an odd habit of taking some English from the UK and some from America. That's why the Japanese use "elevators" instead of "lifts" and say "zed" instead of "zee" for the letter "z."
Thank you for being real! Your video shows how genuine you are. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your comment! I'm so sorry for my super late reply. I'm glad you liked the video! I keep keeping it real. ;)
Thank you for this extremely useful information. You've gone over in more detail than most videos I've seen
As always I think it's highly dependant on you're living standards. Personally I'd live in those 1 room apartments that cost literally nothing if it meant staying out of debt and being able to have a good time.
Oh wow... the JET program has changed a lot... JETs used to be on a min of 300,000 a month and never had to pay certain tax amounts... that later changed... some used to get about 310,000... but 280,000... that's actually less than me.
Your bills are huge... my water is 3150 every 2 months...my electric is often about 3-5000, and my gas is about 4-6000...
I'm guess you used the AC unit for heating - they use way too much power...get a mini heater or a kotatsu table, they are cheaper to run... shower temp set to 39'C will save a lot of gas too... and in summer, use the dehumidifier mode on the AC to cool rather than the actual cooling setting.
Very cool that you're that transparent about the JET program and what you earn.
This was really helpful. I should be in Japan this year. Im a little nervous and knowing about these finances really helps me calm down
Thank you so much for your videos! I will be starting my senior year of college this fall and then apply to this program after graduation. However, the lack of information on how one would live has deterred me but with your videos I feel much more comfortable with the idea of going! :)
Thank you for your comment! Yes it's very scary coming out here not knowing too much, but it's really amazing! :) if you work through the JET programme they will take care of everything for you. They're amazing! And I am so glad that my videos have helped you! If you have any more questions please feel free to ask!
The streets are such that it is so easy to get lost. How did you find it trying to get around at first? It is frustrating enough being able to read some Japanese from studying it at university. Just imagine arriving without any internet access for the first little bit until you settle in out of fear that you don't want to rack up roaming charges on from your home country. Sure you can get wifi access at various spots but it doesn't help you find your way around using googlemaps which you need data.
This was REALLY helpful! Thank you!
I just found your video. Thank you for this info! If anyone is wondering about the dates and why they are written kind of odd, it means the 28th year of that emperor. Whenever the emperor changes, then the dates start over.
Well I didn't know that! Thanks!
Hey Jessica! I'm an incoming ALT that's going to be living in Kyoto starting in August. Your video was really informative for me when thinking about what my spending is gonna be like. I was actually surprised when I converted the yen-to-USD amount and found that your rent cost was actually ~$30 less than what my third is for a three-bedroom apartment in New Orleans (and that's really cheap for my area which is the wealthier part by Tulane University).
This video was actually posted last year on my birthday when I was at Kansai Gaidai in Hirakata for a semester abroad. I was actually surprised at how much spending I did in Japan on just minor thing like kombini runs, public transportation, and arcades (6000 yen in a day D:). I was wondering where you think a lot of your expenses outside of bills went to. I don't go shopping much because I'm kind of a big person and clothes are extremely hard to find in my size (let me not get started on size 13 shoes), and omiyage-like gifts are something I reserve for special occasions because my family won't know the difference.
thank you for sharing this detailed info!
Thank you for sharing your video. It’s shame every time you withdraw money you are being charged but that’s the way it is. I am a student in Japan but soon I will go back to England to finish my degree.
Great video and really informative! Thank you :-)
very very helpful video.. thank you
Managing Finance is the only thing about me that im proud lol...can live in a 1 room appartment , dont really need much electricity as long as my phone is charged , dont really use AC or heater living in a country with different weathers and rarely talk to anyone on the phone so phone bill is non existant....u can say that my life is boring lol
holy shit, 2800000 is a LOT of money for an ALT. Speaking from experience as a dispatch alt btw. JETs have it made!
Thanks for this information! Very helpful :)
Everything is more expensive with a couple living together. We once got our electric bill down to 2,000 yen for a month in the spring.
Thank you for this, it's so useful! I was wondering if you have a video in which you talk about your groceries and preparing lunch. Or maybe you just eat outside? It would be cool to know :)
Sorry for the late reply! I buy my lunch from the conbini if I'm working at a junior high school. And at elementary I get school lunch for $2.62 which is a great price! On my days off I like to eat out to try the special foods of Kyoto.
this is totally amazing, thank you soooo much!!! :)
Thanks for this!!! You're so useful!! ^___^
does your dependent get to work at all?
When someone is accepted to the JET program, is movement of your household goods to Japan included? What can you take with you? What about pets, like small dogs?
Those are excellent questions! I'm so sorry for my super late reply! The JET Programme won't move any of your items for you into Japan, sadly. You'll most likely have to ship it yourself, or buy things off your predecessor in Japan. For Kyoto, we got an allowance to buy new furniture because the apartments had to be fully cleaned out after each ALT finished their stay. You can take anything you like with you into Japan, but you'll have to pay for it on your own. Pets can come with you, but the process takes months to get them properly immunized. Also, not all places accept animals. So if you do bring your pet you'll probably have to find your own place. Knowing how to speak Japanese would definitely help you with the process. I hope this helped!
Jessica Roh Thanks for the reply. The pet process sounds like what I had to go through a few years ago. I was stationed in Germany, and had to go through all types of loops to bring a dog I had back then to the U.S. with me. Also, I see I need to save for a while for moving some furniture. Thanks for the tips.
A question regarding the rent. So do you pay for the rent with your own money and then JET pays it back to you by adding it into your monthly pay?
How do you get to choose or suggest where you want to be with JET? Like do they have a limited list of places they can get you or you just straight say what you want? I'm hoping to make it through JET for somewhere in Hokkaido and I never hear anyone experienced with JET talk about that location.
Sorry for my super late reply! With the JET Programme, the application lets you choose 3 locations that you'd like to be placed at. But 95% of the time you are placed somewhere random according to your own personality and abilities. I lucked out and got Kyoto city, which was my second choice to be placed at. Hokkaido is a great location for ALTs, from what I've heard. I wish you the best of luck!
So as I understand it, if you're placed in one of the bigger cities you'll be spending a lot of your time and money in that city with little chance to save, whereas if you want to travel more it's better to be placed in the countryside so that you have more of a chance to save your money?
This is so incredibly helpful, thank you so much for putting this information out there for us aspiring ALTs! I am married and am hoping to bring my husband with me when I go abroad with JET. Was the process of bringing him with you difficult? I would love to see a video about that!
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad this video was useful for you. The JET Programme makes bringing dependants very easy. I mean, it's a lot of paperwork but they make sure you know what to do at each step of the process. I will try to remember more about it and I'll totally make a video about it! :D Thank you very much!
Becca, if you are a woman, it is better to be married. Japan is a tough place to be for single gals. You don't want to date some Japanese guy who is fresh off the boat. (Or not even off the boat, Lol!) Japan is a nice place, but the men are misogynistic and they culturally accept sleeping with prostitutes. Now that is a deal breaker for most of our women, and some Japanese women don't care for their own men for this very reason. Japan is a wonderful place, but the dating scenes for western women are pretty much limited to the gaijin expat community.
If I get a car in Japan, will gas for transportation be reimburse?
What visa did your dependant have?
Thanks so much for making this. So are you and your dependent both living on the JET payment? I want to live in a larger city, or within an hour or so of a large city, and am worried I wont be able to save money to travel abroad during breaks from school if I live in a large city. I will probably be arriving with 6,000-8,000 USD (if accepted). I'd like to keep as much of that as possible as an emergency fund. Living in a large city, and living conservatively, do you feel like you can save money FROM YOUR JET PAY to travel while you are there? Thank you!
When I went to the JET Weekend Orientations, they told us to go on JET not to save money, but to experience a cultural exchange and such. In other words, you can save some money while being on JET, but don't expect saving a lot though (especially if you're living in big cities or nearby).
I'm gonnna be a JET in a bit.. i'm worried about the money portion. I'm not gonna have a ton.. although i'm also going to be in a very rural area... Maybe it'll work out. Or maybe i'll be eating very little for a while haha.
I am so sorry for my super late reply!!! First of all, you should be perfectly fine. Because the rural areas grow local foods which makes them cheaper. You'll have local farmers gifting you food as well, from what I've heard from other ALTs in rural areas. I hope things are going good for you! How has it been for you so far?
Jessica Roh Heya! I'm up in Aomori now!
haha i actually can't eat out turns out anyway. should be pretty good. Super rural a good 20min drive to the grocery haha
Hi 👋 were you sending money home as well during this time? Thanks 😊
Hello! I am very interested in the JET program, but do you think it is possible for a two people to live on one Jet Salary? I noticed you said you have a dependent so I was just curious!
Is. Kobe expensive also?
Can you get a cheaper cellphone plan?
Hey, pleaaaase get in touch with me! I am desperate to get more information on moving to Japan with dependants! I can't find anyone who's done it. I want to know how the process was, was it easy, etc?
Hi ! thank you for such an informative video ! i was wondering did you get your designated preference in terms of your placement in kyoto? Im going to apply for the program soon however im not sure whether they will take my preferences into consideration? i really want to go kyoto as well seeing what a great city it is !
Hello! I'm so sorry for my late reply! I put Kyoto city down as my second choice and I was super delighted to get placed there. Most other ALTs didn't get where they wanted to be placed. But they still enjoyed their time on the JET Programme. I wish you the best of luck!! They'll take your placement preferences into account, but they'll also look at your personality and abilities and place you where they think you'll do best. Kyoto city was such an incredible place to be!! I hope you can also enjoy your time in Japan. :)
hi thank you for the video. I was wondering how much left over money do you average at the end of a typical month from one paycheck ( not including your dependents income). also I'm planning on teaching and my wife will be teaching as well. would you say it is difficult to get jobs in the same area doesn't need to be the same company so that neither of us would have to commute to far. thanks
hi jess, this might be a personal question but i was wondering if your partner was working and earning money too? just that i want to figure out if the fact that you are reaching so close to your limit is because there was only 1 income coming in or was it still racing that level with both incomes combined?
Good question! My dependant only had a dependant visa so she couldn't work. She also didn't know Japanese which held her back quite a bit. But it was very nice having someone to cook and clean and keep the house in order! :D
Do you know if it's possible for dependents to have a work visa so they can work too while you're doing the JET program or is it only possible for them to have a dependent visa?
Does JET pay for your visa ? Do you need to pay key money?
What province would you recommend in Japan that would be both financially safe with out spending so much money from rent but close to the city where you could explore
Great question! I don't know much about Japan, but I do know that the ALTs living in more rural areas paid less for rent in general than those living within the bigger cities. Sadly I can't really answer your question because I don't know exactly which places are cheaper to live.
4600 oh wait.. I cracked up right there LOL :D
I was wondering how long you can stay in Japan on the jet program
Good question! You can stay for up to five years! It's amazing. I totally would have stayed longer if I knew Japanese.
Mary Franck You don't actually decide how long you stay. They are the ones offering you to stay longer if they like you, apperciate your work, or if there is still a job to give. Then you can decide whether or not to stay for another year. :) Most people stay between one and three years. If they appreciate your work, they might offer you to stay for a fourth and a fifth year. I know a guy who is an exception and even stayed 6-7 years!
How do you handle the months you don't get paid? Because Alts only get paid about 8 months of the year right?
ALTs in Japan work 12 months of the year. We got paid each month. :) Japan has year-round school all over the country.
You save up money as the girl says. If you are Canadian or American, you should realize that going on the JET Program is not about making money, but about enjoying Japan. If you want to make money, just go up north and work or join the film industry. You will make at least double, if not triple. Up north, they pay for your housing and everything so you have no rent and you could save all the money if you want. And what is funny about this is that people can make this with only a high school education. Mind you it is not going to be as fun as working as a JET teacher. Even if you chose to get a B.Ed and get a teacher job in Canada, you can make $80K a year. Teachers do end up making six figures later on if money is your focus, stay in Canada.
I'm American and American teachers don't make shit lol And I thought JET alts are the only alts who actually make a livable wage? A lot of videos on here talk about that.. Like yeah the goal isn't to make a LOT of money, but I don't want to be just scraping by either because I went with a different company.
No, masi, I know that in Vancover the wages are far better than anywhere in Japan. You could work up north and make 6 figures in Canada if you wanted. (I don't mean just teaching). Japanese wages are a joke. That is what migrant workers earn, not regular Canadians. But if you want to teach English in Japan for a cultural experience, I think it is okay since cost of living is a lot lower than in Japan.
Canadian Egg You've completely lost me... I have zero interest in living in Canada.
Do you recommend saving extra money prior to going abroad or will the first pay check cover everything for the first month?
That's an excellent question. A popular opinion is to definitely bring money with you. I brought $4000 for my dependant and I. It lasted us about a month since we had to furnish our entire apartment. The JET Programme suggested for you to bring money. It definitely helps transitioning into a new country.
+Jessica Roh Thank you so much for your response.
why do you always pay commision to seven bank. spend for nothing.
aaahhhh its PROGRAM not PROGRAMME
Programme is the British way of spelling it. Program is the American way. Japan has an odd habit of taking some English from the UK and some from America. That's why the Japanese use "elevators" instead of "lifts" and say "zed" instead of "zee" for the letter "z."