MigrantoAverage salary in Japan
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in Japan
77% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
¥298,000
Gross / yr
¥4.6M
Salaries in Japan by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in Japan in numbers
Pays well above the middle in Asia
¥298,000 a month against ¥73,100 for the middle country in Asia.
Finance & insurance is paid unusually poorly in Japan
Here it sits at +25% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at +57%.
Industries pay unusually close together
Hospitality & food sits at the bottom on ¥250,000 a month, 1.5× below the best-paid industry, where a typical country stretches 3.1×. Which industry you land in matters less here than in most places.
Professional & scientific pays the most
It averages ¥375,000 a month, 26% above the national average of ¥298,000.
How salaries in Japan compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- Construction+8% here, usually -7%
- Wholesale & retail+0% here, usually -15%
- Hospitality & food-16% here, usually -27%
Pays less than usual here
- Finance & insurance+25% here, usually +57%
- IT & communication+21% here, usually +47%
- Mining & quarrying+5% here, usually +24%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2021 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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What you could earn in Japan
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in Japan, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in Japan
¥145,000/mo
vs ¥192,000 in your country
Cost of living
¥87,000
vs ¥128,000 in your country
Potential savings
¥57,700
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Japan?
The average salary in Japan is ¥385,000 a month before tax, or ¥298,000 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's ¥4,620,000 before tax and ¥3,570,000 after.
What is the average salary in Japan in US dollars?
The average salary in Japan in US dollars is about $28,812 a year before tax, or $1,859 a month after tax.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Japan?
The highest-paying jobs in Japan are in professional, finance, and education. Take-home pay in these industries averages around ¥375,000 a month (about ¥5,810,000 gross a year), roughly 26% above the national average.
What is a good salary in Japan?
A good salary in Japan is generally one above the national average — more than ¥298,000 take-home a month, or ¥4,620,000 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Japan?
A typical person in Japan spends about ¥215,000 a month, while the average take-home pay is ¥298,000. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in Japan for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in Japan?
Hospitality is the lowest-paying industry in Japan. Pay there averages around ¥250,000 a month take-home (about ¥3,870,000 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 1.5 times more.
Is Japan a high-salary country?
Yes. By average after-tax pay, Japan is ahead of 77% of countries worldwide and ranks 5th out of 30 countries in Asia.
Where to live?
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Living in Japan
See the full country overview