🇯🇵 Japan · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Sendai? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, central (Aoba ward, Ichibanchō, Kamisugi)JPY 58,000–85,000 / month
Utilities and internet, one personJPY 13,000–21,000 / month, higher than western Japan through the winter
Groceries, one personJPY 31,000–44,000 / month
Commuter pass, subway and busJPY 7,000–13,000 / month, usually reimbursed by employers
Good to know
Population
≈1.09 million — much the largest city in the Tōhoku region and its administrative centre
Languages
Japanese, in the Sendai dialect. English support is better than the city's size suggests because of the university
Currency
Japanese yen (JPY)
Time zone
JST (GMT+9) — Japan does not observe daylight saving
Power plug
Type A and B, 100 V, 50 Hz in eastern Japan against 60 Hz in the west
Climate
Humid subtropical on the Pacific side — unusually mild summers cooled by the yamase sea wind, cold clear winters with far less snow than the Japan Sea coast
Driving side
Left
Wards
Five — Aoba, Miyagino, Wakabayashi, Taihaku and Izumi
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Sendai checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Sendai
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.