A standard apartment costs 4–6 months' rent to move into — deposit, key money, agency fee, guarantor fee, insurance, keys and first rent. Every line has a name, a norm, and a negotiation status; knowing them turns an intimidating estimate into an itemized bill you can push back on.
Key facts
- Typical total
- 4–6× monthly rent
- Shikikin (deposit)
- 0–2 months, partly refundable
- Reikin (key money)
- 0–2 months, a gift, gone
- Agency fee
- ~1 month + tax
- Guarantor + insurance + keys
- ~1–1.5 months combined
Move-in cost case (Itabashi 1R, ¥60,000/mo) (2026)
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The case: Itabashi 1R at ¥60,000/month | Line-by-line on a standard contract — the typical starter room for Tokyo workers and students | P2J estimate |
| First month rent (maeyachin) | ¥60,000 | P2J estimate |
| Deposit (shikikin, 1 month) | ¥60,000 · Returned at move-out minus cleaning | P2J estimate |
| Key money (reikin, 1 month) | ¥60,000 · Non-refundable, a pure entry fee | P2J estimate |
| Agency fee (1.1 months incl. tax) | ¥66,000 | P2J estimate |
| Guarantor company (0.5 month) | ¥30,000 · Plus around ¥10,000 renewal each year | P2J estimate |
| Fire insurance (2 years) | Around ¥20,000 | P2J estimate |
| Lock change | Around ¥16,500 | P2J estimate |
| Total | Around ¥312,500 ≈ 5.2 months of rent | P2J estimate |
The estimate, line by line
Shikikin (敷金) — the deposit, held against damage and arrears, partially refundable at exit. Reikin (礼金) — key money, a historical “gift” to the landlord; never returned, increasingly waived in competitive markets. Agency fee — one month plus tax by custom, legally capped, and undercut by discount agencies. Guarantor company — 50–100% of a month, plus small annual renewals. Fire insurance ~¥15,000–20,000 per two years, key exchange ~¥15,000–25,000, then the first month’s rent (prorated if you enter mid-month). The renting guide covers the screening that precedes all this.
Reading the total like a local
The pressure points are visible once the lines have names: key money is a pure ask; long-vacant units concede it. Agency fees vary by agency for the same unit — the listing is often shared. “Free rent” campaigns amortize a discount without lowering the sticker rent. And the exit matters as much as the entry — the deposit-versus-cleaning-clause game is decided by the photos you take on day one and the contract lines you actually read.
When the answer is to skip the system
Adding up 4–6 months on a Tokyo budget explains a rational pattern: arrive into a share house (¥50,000–80,000 all-in) or a company dormitory (often near zero), save through year one, then sign a standard lease with real savings and a payslip history. The system rewards the patient path — and UR housing, with no key money, agency fee or guarantor, rewards it twice.
Four legitimate ways to shrink the bill
| The route | Cost and effect |
|---|---|
| Zero-zero listings | Saves roughly ¥120,000 outright — but read the exit-cleaning clause and the slightly higher rent |
| UR housing | Deletes key money, agency fee and guarantor in one stroke — limited stock, suburban locations |
| Off-season negotiation (May–Aug) | Key money and the first month often move |
| Share houses | The whole table collapses to a ¥30,000 deposit plus first month |
Set your pre-hunt savings target against the table total above. The same list in Osaka runs 60–70% of these numbers — not fewer fees, a lower rent base.
Japanese you will use on this page (tap ▶)
| 初期費用は全部でいくらですか。 Shoki hiyō wa zenbu de ikura desu ka. How much are the total move-in costs? | |
| 退去時のクリーニング代はいくらですか。 Taikyo-ji no kurīningu-dai wa ikura desu ka. How much is the move-out cleaning fee? | |
| 更新料はかかりますか。 Kōshinryō wa kakarimasu ka. Is there a renewal fee? | |
| 電気の使用を開始したいです。 Denki no shiyō o kaishi shitai desu. I would like to start electricity service. | |
| ガスの開栓は立ち会いが必要ですか。 Gasu no kaisen wa tachiai ga hitsuyō desu ka. Does the gas opening require me to be present? |
Audio synthesized with VOICEVOX:Meimei Himari at standard pace for shadowing; real conversations run faster and carry accents.
Common mistakes & warnings
- "Zero-zero" (no deposit, no key money) listings recover the money elsewhere — higher rent, mandatory cleaning fees, strict exit charges. Compare two-year totals, not move-in totals.
- The deposit's refund depends on the exit — normal wear is the landlord's cost by guideline, but contracts add cleaning clauses. Photograph everything on day one; the photos are your move-out negotiation.
- In Kansai, shikibiki replaces part of this structure — a contractually non-refundable deposit slice. Read which system your contract uses before comparing offers across regions.
Frequently asked questions
A worked example at ¥70,000 rent?
Deposit 70,000 + key money 70,000 + agency 77,000 + guarantor 52,500 + insurance 20,000 + keys 20,000 + first month 70,000 ≈ ¥380,000 — around 5.4 months. Zero-key-money and UR listings pull this toward 3.
Which lines actually negotiate?
Key money (ask, especially on long-vacant units), the agency fee (half-month agencies exist and advertise it), and free-rent months (one month free is a common closing concession). Deposit, guarantor and insurance rarely move.
How do share houses and dormitories compare?
Share houses typically want one month's deposit and a small fee — ¥50,000–80,000 total to move in. Company dormitories often cost almost nothing upfront. That difference is why first-year arrivals start there.
Official sources
- MLIT — rental housing guidelines (2026-07-17)
This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules change; always confirm details with the official sources listed above before making decisions.