How much does it cost for a university student to start living alone?
It is said that the initial cost for a university student to start living alone is about 500,000 to 700,000 yen on average. It may seem like a lot of initial costs. These initial costs can be broadly divided into three categories.
- Initial costs when renting a property
- Purchase costs for furniture and appliances
- Moving expenses
These are the main initial costs. In the next chapter, we will explain the specific amounts for each item in detail, so please refer to it.
Initial costs when renting a property
When renting an apartment for the first time, you will incur the following initial costs. We will introduce the market price for each item below for your reference.
- Deposit: 1 to 2 months rent
- Key money: 1 to 2 months rent
- Brokerage fee: 0.5 to 1 month's rent
- Advance rent: 1 month's rent
- Daily rent: Varies depending on move-in date
- Fire insurance: 10,000 to 20,000 yen
- Key replacement fee: 10,000 to 20,000 yen
Just looking at this, you get the impression that the initial costs of renting a property are very high. Also, please note that the amounts of the deposit, key money, brokerage fee, etc. may vary depending on the real estate company and rental property. Be sure to check with the real estate company when signing the contract. There are also rental properties that do not require a deposit or key money, or only a key money, so we recommend that you check in advance.
Also, if you keep the following three points in mind and understand them in advance, the signing of the contract will go very smoothly.
- Brokerage fee
The maximum brokerage fee is set at one month's rent plus consumption tax.
- Advance rent
Advance rent means paying the rent for the month following the month you move in in advance. If there are separate management fees or common area fees, you will need to pay these as well.
- Daily rent
If you move in during the month, you will have to pay rent pro rata based on the number of days from the day you move in to the end of the month.
Purchase cost of furniture and appliances
When you start living alone, you will need to purchase new furniture and home appliances. We will introduce the market prices of furniture and home appliances necessary for daily life, so please use it as a reference. If you understand the market prices of furniture and home appliances, it will be useful information when you purchase them.
Home appliances
- Washing machine: 30,000 to 40,000 yen
- Refrigerator: 20,000 to 30,000 yen
- Microwave: Approximately 10,000 yen
- Television: 20,000 to 30,000 yen
- Vacuum cleaner: Approximately 10,000 yen
- Rice cooker: Around 10,000 yen
- PC: 50,000 yen to 150,000 yen
furniture
- Table: 3,000 to 5,000 yen
- Chair: 3,000 to 5,000 yen
- Bed (all bedding included): 50,000 to 70,000 yen
- Curtains: 5,000 to 10,000 yen
- TV stand: 3,000 to 5,000 yen
- Storage furniture: 10,000 yen to 30,000 yen
It can cost around 200,000 to 300,000 yen to buy all the furniture and appliances you need. Since it can be a surprisingly large expense, it's important to plan carefully and prepare. It's a good idea to start saving early.
Moving expenses
When you start living alone, you will need to pay for moving expenses. The average moving cost for a single person is about 40,000 to 80,000 yen. However, during the busy moving season from March to April, the cost can be more than double that amount. Once you have decided to move, we recommend that you decide on a date early to keep moving costs as low as possible.
Ways to cut moving costs
- Avoid weekends and holidays and request on weekdays
Demand is high and prices are higher on weekends and holidays, so you can keep costs down by requesting your move on weekdays.
- Carry what you can carry yourself
By moving small furniture and items that you can carry yourself, you can reduce the amount of items that the moving company needs to move and save on moving costs.
- Avoid short deadlines and ask for work over a period of days or weeks
Short notice moves are often more expensive, so if you schedule your move with plenty of time, you will be able to keep the cost down relatively easily.
Try these methods to keep moving costs down and get off to a comfortable start living alone within your budget.
A list of the minimum furniture and appliances needed for a university student living alone
From here on, we will introduce the minimum furniture and home appliances that university students need when they start living alone. Please check what you need to make your life comfortable and whether you really need it when you start your life.
High-priority furniture and appliances
First, we will introduce the furniture and home appliances that are a high priority for university students living alone. These are essential items for a comfortable daily life.
- washing machine
These are essential items that are indispensable in daily life. Especially if you live alone, you should get them early because you will be doing your own laundry.
- refrigerator
A refrigerator is essential for storing food. If you cook at home, it can be inconvenient if you don't have one.
- Vacuum cleaner
Cleaning is a must even if you live alone, and an efficient vacuum cleaner is a must.
- Rice cooker
If you cook at home, a rice cooker is essential. If you plan on cooking rice every day, it's best to get one early.
- table
You need a table to eat and study.
- PC
A computer is essential for writing papers and assignment reports. For university students, computers are a very important item in their lives.
Low priority furniture and appliances
Next, we will introduce furniture and appliances that are low priority. We recommend that you purchase these later if you feel the need for them after living in the house.
- tv set
Recently, more and more people are choosing not to have a television at home, so I think it's a good idea to try it out in your daily life and then buy one if you feel you need it.
- bed
Whether or not you feel you need a bed when you first start living alone is up to each individual. You can try living on a futon when you first move in, and then buy a bed if you feel you need one after all. It costs tens of thousands of yen to buy a bed, so this expense is quite large.
It's not too late to purchase these items once you've actually started living alone and feel that you need them. For those who want to keep initial costs down, these are items that can be put off for later.
List of daily necessities other than furniture and appliances
Besides furniture and appliances, other things you will need when living alone are "daily necessities." Here are some of the things you will need.
- Kitchen: Cooking utensils and dishes such as frying pans and pots
- Bathroom: Sponge, shampoo, conditioner, body soap for use in the bathroom
- Toilet area: toilet cleaning supplies, toilet paper
- Living room: tissue paper, clothesline, detergent, floor cleaning supplies
If you look closely, it may seem like you still need to buy more, but you will also need to purchase consumables. The initial preparations for moving can be a lot of work. We recommend that you make a list of the things you need to buy.
Tips for reducing initial costs [Furniture and appliances]
From here on, we will tell you some ways to save money on initial costs. First, we will tell you how to save money on furniture and appliances.
Purchase items sold as a set
During moving season, electronics retailers and online shopping sites often hold campaigns such as "New Life Support Fairs." At these fairs, the bare minimum of furniture and home appliances are sold in sets, allowing you to save money by purchasing them all at once. If you are not too picky about the manufacturer or product, we highly recommend using set sales to find furniture and home appliances. If you want to get all your furniture and home appliances at once, be sure to check them out.
inherit from an acquaintance
Accepting furniture and appliances from acquaintances is also a smart way to keep initial costs down. If you don't mind buying new items, you can save a lot of money by accepting used furniture and appliances. Before accepting them, check their condition carefully, and clean and maintain them if necessary so that they can be used without any problems. Sometimes acquaintances will give them to you for free because they no longer use them, and sometimes you can accept them for a low price.
Consider renting a property with furniture and appliances
Another way to significantly reduce initial costs is to look for rental properties that come with furniture and appliances. Rental properties that come with furniture and appliances are very convenient, especially for people who are considering living alone for a limited period of time. If you search for a property in this way, you can avoid the trouble of purchasing new furniture and appliances when you move, reduce moving costs, and significantly reduce initial costs.
Tips for saving on initial costs [Moving expenses]
Next, we will introduce some money-saving tips to reduce moving expenses. Moving often costs a lot, but with a little ingenuity, you can make big savings. We will explain in detail how to reduce moving expenses.
Avoid weekends and holidays/set aside a short period of time
As mentioned above, moving costs are often higher if you request a move on a weekend or holiday. If you have the time, we recommend requesting a move on a weekday. Also, you can save a lot on moving costs by avoiding busy periods. If you have some leeway before the move, you can save even more by adjusting the move date and time to leave some time in between.
Contact multiple moving companies and consider them
There are many moving companies, so the price and service content will vary even for the same conditions. We recommend that you request quotes from multiple moving companies and compare them. Not only the price of the quote but also the content of the services provided will vary, so be sure to check carefully to find and choose the company that is best for you.
Take advantage of free delivery services offered by electronics retailers
Some electronics retailers offer free delivery services when purchasing electronics. By using this service, you can save on moving expenses. When purchasing electronics, check for stores that offer free delivery services and make smart use of such services.
Carry small items yourself
When you ask a moving company to move small items, the cost can go up. By carrying as many items as you can yourself, you can reduce the amount of luggage you need to ask the moving company to carry. This may be difficult for long-distance moves, but if you are moving short distances or have small items, try carrying them yourself.
Average initial costs for a university student living alone
So far, we have introduced the average prices and money-saving tips for each item needed for living alone. So, how much is the average initial cost for a university student to live alone? As a rough guide, you will need about 500,000 to 700,000 yen. The breakdown is as follows:
- Rent-related expenses: 300,000 to 400,000 yen
- Furniture and appliance purchase costs: 100,000 to 200,000 yen
- Moving company fee: Approximately 100,000 yen
When living alone as a university student, it is important to carefully determine what you need and what you don't need in order to keep down initial costs. Especially if it is your first time living alone, you are likely to have to make an initial investment. Another option is to gradually acquire the things you need as you go along. Be sure to consult with your wallet and prepare wisely for living alone.
Living expenses for university students living alone
In addition to the initial costs, daily living expenses are also an important consideration. It is important to know in advance how much your living expenses will be in your new life.
The average cost of living for a university student living alone is about 120,000 yen per month. We will introduce the average amount of living expenses divided into the following four categories. Although there will be some differences depending on your lifestyle and region, you can use these amounts as a reference to plan your living expenses.
rent
Rent for a university student living alone varies greatly depending on the area, but the average price is about 50,000 to 60,000 yen per month. Rent tends to be higher in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. It is easier to find relatively inexpensive properties in regional cities and suburban areas. Consult with a real estate agency, carefully discuss your requirements and view the property to find a property that suits you.
Utility bills
The average monthly utility bill for a university student living alone is about 6,000 to 8,000 yen. This amount includes electricity, gas, and water. Be aware that electricity bills will increase slightly in summer and winter, especially since you may need to use air conditioning and heating.
Food expenses
The average monthly food cost for a university student living alone is around 24,000 to 30,000 yen. To keep food costs down, many students cook their own meals, use the school cafeteria to keep costs down, or get part-time work at restaurants to get help with meals. By making good use of cooking for yourself, you can save money on food and still maintain a healthy diet.
others
Other living expenses will cost an average of 45,000 to 50,000 yen per month. This includes transportation, cell phone charges, study expenses, entertainment, etc. For university students, transportation costs to university and the cost of textbooks used in university classes can suddenly become expensive at unexpected times, so we recommend that you make a budget in advance.
Things to do before moving
You may have already decided on a rental property to live in alone, and you have gathered all your furniture and appliances, so you may be slowly completing the preparations to move, but after signing the rental contract, there are a few things you need to do before moving. We will also explain the things you need to do in advance and the things you need to be careful about.
- Moving Procedures
Contact a moving company and request a move. We recommend that you act early. Especially during busy periods, schedules tend to fill up quickly, so it may be difficult to accommodate your desired date and time.
- Electricity, gas, water and internet line contracts
It's easy to forget about the electricity, gas, water, and internet that you use in your daily life, but you may not be able to use them unless you take action and sign a contract yourself. Don't forget to contact each company and go through the contracts so that you can be comfortable from the day you move in.
When you start living alone, you need to be aware of not only the initial costs but also the various contracts you will need to sign at the same time.
If you want to reduce the initial costs of living alone, consider a shared house.
If you want to reduce the initial costs of living alone, it is worth considering the option of a shared house. In a shared house, rent and utility costs are shared among multiple tenants, so you can significantly reduce the initial and monthly costs compared to individual rental properties. A major advantage of shared houses is that they often come equipped with furniture and appliances, so you can reduce the cost of purchasing them. In addition, many properties do not require the initial costs of a deposit, key money, or brokerage fee, so you can reduce moving costs. Of course, you need to be considerate of privacy and lifestyle, but a shared house is a very effective option for those who want to reduce costs when living alone for the first time.
summary
In this article, we have talked about the initial costs of living alone as a university student and tips for reducing living expenses. We hope you will find this information useful for your future life living alone. Knowing how to reduce initial costs and money-saving techniques is extremely important when starting to live alone. It will help you determine what you need, eliminate waste, and live a comfortable and fulfilling life. We hope you will enjoy your new life living alone while spending your money wisely!
