***SSNL AUGUST LIFE THREAD PART 2 ***

[delta k]

[censored] girlfreinsts nare not the nuts.

[Cue-Ball 66]

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[censored] girlfreinsts nare not the nuts.

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Please...go on...

[Dire]

what's the ballpark $ you're looking at for a decent pad + food/fun in japan per month? seems like it'd be an interesting place to visit for a year or two.

[Kilillan]

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what's the ballpark $ you're looking at for a decent pad + food/fun in japan per month? seems like it'd be an interesting place to visit for a year or two.

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depends vastly on what you mean by "decent pad" and where.

If you're living in tokyo, outside of tokyo or in Osaka.

In tokyo it's hella expensive. Like, 800$+ for a small 1 room apt/shared toilet and shared kitchen.

If you want to live in your own apartment, about 900$+ plus about 4000-5000$ upfront, which is basically unavoidable.

And these are small apts too.

You want a ok sized bedroom, kitchen, dining room and shower in tokyo, about 2500$/mo plus 7000$+ upfront.

not including utilities or food.

Outside of tokyo, like 30-1 hour commute by train, maybe 500-700 for a decent sized apartment I think, in nerima or saitama.

Food isn't that much more expensive, but transportation is expensive, so be prepared to pay at least 130$/mo if you plan to go to school/back.
If you plan to travel it'll cost you a good 300-400$+ a month.

Clubs/whatnot are about the same in america.

If you're willing to live in somewhat hella small place, then about 2000$/mo should suffice.

[BigPoppa]

Not sure about Tokyo, but in Osaka a single room in a Gaijin House (set up like a dorm, with shared bathroom down the hall) will run about $350-$450/month. I'd stay in one of these, because (lik a dorm) it gives you an instant set of buddies.

Alcolhol is expensive by American standards, but apparently cheap by Australian ones. Cellphones are a hassle (and you can't use ones from anywhere else), but not too expensive. Food isn't cheap, but even the fast food is higher quality than in the States. Oddly, a lot of Japanese video games and electronics cost more than they do anywhere else. You can live pretty frugally, but it is not s society where the consumer comes first.

[BigPoppa]

Also, Japanese housing quality is very low. Even people with lots of money live in house/apartments that would be pretty crappy by Western standards. So there's a good chance that you would never find a place as nice as the one you have back home.

That said, Japan is a hell of a lot of fun and a very interesting place.

[Kilillan]

korean girl's roommate just emailed me out of the blue to go drinking.

so I'm going someplace tonight I guess.

bigpoppa, how long were you in osaka? I'm planning on going tomorrow.

[Dire]

Thanks for the figures. Nice to see there's definitely a reasonable range of living prices.

[Kilillan]

So I'm off to meet korean girl's 20 year old roommate.

I think it's a date.

wish me luck ssnl.

[BigPoppa]

I was only there a few months, but I really liked Osaka.

Check out the Shinsaibashi Suji/ Dotonbori area. Massive pedestrian shopping/eating district that's packed night and day. The Asian looking street scenes in Blade Runner were based on Dotonbori. Also go to Amerikamura (walking distance from there), which is where all the youth oriented shops are.

Don't bother with Osaka-Jo, it's reconstructed crap. If you want history, Nara is very close to Osaka. You should also go to Koshien to see the Tigers play.

Have fun. I miss Osaka.