Thinking About Buying a Home in Japan? Here's What Prices Look Like by Region

Recently, I’ve been seeing more and more news about rising housing prices in Japan. 

Living in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, I’ve also started to feel that change myself.

There are more moments now when I think,

"A few years ago, this price might have been within reach, but now it feels much harder."

Especially in central Tokyo, it is no longer unusual to see condominiums selling for over 100 million yen.

On the other hand, if you look outside the major cities, there are still many areas where buying a home remains realistic and affordable.

So how much money does it actually take to buy a house in Japan today?

This time, I decided to look into Japan's rising housing prices and compare average home prices by region.

How Much Have Housing Prices Increased in Japan?

Over the past few years, housing prices in Japan have continued to rise nationwide.

Several factors are contributing to this trend.

Construction materials have become more expensive, labor costs have increased, and the weaker yen has pushed up import costs.

At the same time, major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka continue to attract more residents as redevelopment projects expand.

Foreign investment in Japanese real estate has also increased, especially in central Tokyo, where condominium prices have risen sharply.

It has become increasingly common to see news headlines announcing that condominium prices have reached record highs.

Compared with just a few years ago, buying a home in Japan has clearly become more expensive.

Which Areas in Japan Have Seen the Biggest Increase in Housing Prices?

Several cities stand out when it comes to rapidly rising housing prices.

Tokyo's 23 Wards

Tokyo remains the most expensive housing market in Japan.

The average price of a newly built condominium often exceeds 100 million yen, making home ownership increasingly difficult for many families.

Fukuoka City

Fukuoka has become one of Japan's most popular cities in recent years.

Its convenient transportation, relatively comfortable lifestyle, and growing population have pushed housing prices upward.

Sapporo City

As the largest city in Hokkaido, Sapporo has benefited from both tourism demand and investment demand.

Housing prices continue to rise steadily.

Osaka City

Large redevelopment projects and strong economic activity have kept demand high in Osaka.

As a result, housing prices have continued to increase.

Sendai City

As the largest city in the Tohoku region, Sendai remains a popular and stable housing market with growing demand.

Estimated Cost of Buying a Home by Region

So how much does it actually cost to buy a home in Japan?

The following figures are rough estimates for newly built homes and condominiums in each region of Japan.

Tokyo's 23 Wards

100 million to 150 million yen

Greater Tokyo Area

(Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa and surrounding areas)

40 million to 70 million yen

Osaka Prefecture

40 million to 60 million yen

Fukuoka Prefecture

35 million to 50 million yen

Sapporo, Hokkaido

30 million to 45 million yen

Regional Cities

20 million to 35 million yen

When viewed side by side, the difference between Tokyo and regional cities can amount to tens of millions of yen.

Even within the same country, the cost of buying a home varies greatly depending on where you choose to live.

Please note that these figures are based mainly on newly built properties.

For used homes, prices can vary significantly depending on the age of the building, distance from the nearest station, and overall condition of the property.

How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a Home?

In Japan, banks generally consider housing loans worth around five to seven times a household's annual income to be a reasonable guideline.

For example:

• A 30 million yen home may require an annual income of around 5 million yen.
• A 50 million yen home may require an annual income between 7 million and 9 million yen.
• A 100 million yen home may require an annual income of 12 million yen or more.

Of course, this depends on many factors, including the size of the down payment, family situation, and mortgage approval conditions.

Still, looking at housing prices in Tokyo, it is easy to understand why buying a home there feels out of reach for many people.

My Thoughts Living in Narita City

When I first moved to Japan, owning a home felt like something that might eventually become possible.

Today, however, prices in the same areas have risen so much that home ownership feels a little further away than before.

Even around Narita City, newly built homes seem noticeably more expensive than they used to be.

Prices that might have felt realistic just a few years ago now require much more careful consideration.

At the same time, moving just a little further away from Tokyo still opens up many affordable options.

With remote work becoming more common, many people are no longer choosing where to live simply based on the distance to the office.

Instead, more people seem to be asking themselves:

"Where do I actually want to live?"

If You're Thinking About Buying a Home in Japan

Many experts believe that housing prices in Japan may continue rising for some time.

Because of that, many people may wonder whether now is the right time to buy.

But perhaps the most important question is not whether prices are at their highest or lowest point.

What matters most may simply be finding a place where you and your family can live comfortably and happily.

Perhaps we are moving away from asking,

"Where should I buy a house?"

and moving toward asking,

"Where do I want to build my life?" 🏠✨