Move-in Costs in Japan｜A Full Breakdown at ¥80,000 Rent
Deposit, key money, brokerage fee, advance rent, fire insurance, guarantor company. Every line item with its going rate, and which ones you can actually negotiate, worked through on an ¥80,000 apartment.
Move-in Costs in Japan
The rule of thumb is 4.5 to 6 months' rent upfront. On an ¥80,000 apartment, that's ¥360,000–480,000. That's a wide range, and the width is explained almost entirely by two things: whether there's key money, and whether you're required to use a guarantor company.
This page breaks down every line item using an apartment at ¥80,000 rent plus ¥5,000 management fee.
The full breakdown (¥80,000 rent)
| Item | Going rate | Example (¥) | Negotiable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit (shikikin) | 1–2 months | 80,000 | Somewhat |
| Key money (reikin) | 0–2 months | 80,000 | Yes |
| Advance rent | 1 month | 80,000 | No |
| Pro-rated rent | Depends on move-in date | 40,000 | No |
| Management fee | One month | 5,000 | No |
| Brokerage fee | 0.5–1 month + tax | 88,000 | Somewhat |
| Guarantor company fee | 0.5–1 month | 40,000 | No |
| Fire insurance | 15,000–20,000 | 18,000 | Yes |
| Lock replacement | 15,000–25,000 | 20,000 | Yes |
| Total | 451,000 |
About ¥450,000 on an ¥80,000 apartment. That's the standard level.
What each item actually is
Deposit (shikikin) — money you get back
A security deposit held against restoration costs when you move out. Whatever isn't used is returned.
Return is the default, and it's worth knowing that. Under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport guidelines, wear from normal use — furniture indentations, wallpaper faded by sunlight — is the landlord's cost, not yours. What you're liable for is damage beyond normal use: cigarette staining, pet damage, mould caused by neglect.
At the move-out inspection, you are not obliged to sign on the spot if you don't accept the assessment.
Key money (reikin) — money you don't get back
A non-refundable "thank you" payment to the landlord. There's no legal basis for it; it survives purely as custom.
This is your single biggest negotiating lever. Zero-key-money listings have become common, and in the quiet season (June–August, November–December) or on units that have sat empty, landlords will often agree to waive it. On ¥80,000 rent, dropping one month of key money saves you ¥80,000.
Advance rent and pro-rated rent
You pay the following month's rent at signing. If you move in mid-month, you also pay a pro-rated amount for the remaining days of that month.
Moving in near the end of the month reduces the pro-rated portion. The advance rent doesn't change, though, so the saving is limited. Just avoid moving in on the 1st, when the pro-rated portion is nearly a full month.
Brokerage fee
The agency's commission. Under the Real Estate Brokerage Act, the cap is one month's rent plus consumption tax. A cap, not a fixed rate.
Some agencies advertise half-price or free. Free-brokerage listings are usually ones where the agency collects an advertising fee from the landlord instead, which narrows the pool of properties you can choose from. Compare on the total.
Guarantor company fee
A company that guarantees your rent in place of a personal guarantor. Typically 0.5–1 month upfront and around ¥10,000 a year to renew.
Most listings now require one, and even if you can provide a personal guarantor you'll often still be told a guarantor company is mandatory. This is one of the hardest items to negotiate away.
Fire insurance
Around ¥15,000–20,000 for two years. The agency will recommend their policy, but you are legally free to arrange your own, provided it includes tenant liability cover. Sourcing it yourself can bring it down to around ¥4,000 a year.
If you're told you can't sign without their specific policy, it's reasonable to ask on what basis.
Lock replacement
Replacing the lock used by the previous tenant. ¥15,000–25,000.
There's a solid argument that this is properly the landlord's cost, and it can be negotiated. But do have the lock changed regardless — "I didn't want to pay so I skipped it" is not an option worth taking.
Five ways to reduce upfront costs
- Target zero-key-money listings — the largest single lever, worth tens of thousands of yen
- Move in the off-season — June–August and November–December, when landlords negotiate
- Arrange your own fire insurance — around ¥10,000 difference
- Look for free-rent listings — one or two months rent-free after moving in
- Lower the rent itself — since most upfront costs are multiples of rent, dropping rent by ¥10,000 typically cuts upfront costs by around ¥50,000
Number five is the real point. Most of what you're paying is a multiple of the rent. Lower the rent and everything else follows.