Quick answer: Most international students in Tokyo pay ¥45,000 to ¥75,000 a month for housing. A share house or dorm is the fastest and cheapest way in, with no guarantor needed. A private 1R or 1K apartment costs from about ¥60,000 in outer wards like Nerima and Itabashi, plus 4 to 6 months’ rent upfront to move in.

International students in the Kanto region spend an average of ¥51,000 a month on housing, the highest of any region in Japan, according to JASSO’s latest student living survey. About 70% live in private apartments, and the rest live in school dorms, share houses and other housing. This guide compares each option with real costs, shows where to live near major universities, and explains how to rent as a student.

Student Accommodation in Tokyo: Costs Compared

	Dormitory	Share house	Guest house	Private apartment (1R/1K)
Monthly cost	¥45,000–¥65,000	¥45,000–¥75,000, utilities included	¥45,000–¥70,000	¥60,000–¥95,000 + utilities
Move-in cost	About 1–2 months’ rent	About ¥80,000–¥150,000	About ¥60,000–¥120,000	4–6 months’ rent (about ¥240,000–¥360,000 for a ¥60,000 room)
Guarantor	Not needed	Not needed	Not needed	Guarantor company required
Time to move in	Apply months ahead	2–3 days	2–3 days	2–3 weeks
Contract	Semester or year	From 1 month	From 1 month	Usually 2 years, can leave with 1–2 months’ notice
Privacy	Often shared rooms	Private room, shared kitchen	Private room, shared facilities	Your own apartment
Best for	First semester	Short programs, first arrival	Stays under 6 months	Programs of 1 year or more

Sources: housing cost and housing type from JASSO Student Living Survey FY2023. Apartment rents from Hato Mark Site rent statistics (April 2026). Dorm, share house and guest house ranges are typical prices on Arealty listings.

How Much Is a Student Dormitory in Tokyo?

A dorm in Tokyo costs about ¥45,000 to ¥65,000 a month, often with utilities and sometimes meals included. It is the easiest first home because you need no guarantor and no Japanese bank account. The catch is supply: dorm rooms fill fast, and many schools reserve them for first-year or exchange students.

There are three kinds:

• University dorms. Run by your school. Apply when you accept your offer, usually months before arrival.
• Public dorms. JASSO runs international student housing such as the Tokyo International Exchange Center in Koto ward. Check JASSO’s housing page for openings.
• Private student dorms. Company-run dorms open to students from many schools, often with meals. Prices are higher, but rooms are easier to get.

How Much Is a Share House in Tokyo for Students?

A private room in a Tokyo share house costs about ¥45,000 to ¥75,000 a month, usually with utilities and Wi-Fi included. You get your own bedroom and share the kitchen, bathroom and living room. Most share houses accept students without a guarantor and let you move in within days.

Share houses are a good first step if your dorm application fails or you arrive before your apartment is ready. Contracts usually start from one month, so you can move out once you know Tokyo better.

Guest House vs Share House: What Is the Difference?

In Tokyo, “guest house” and “share house” often mean the same thing: a furnished room with shared facilities. When there is a difference, guest houses are more hotel-like, with cleaning of shared areas included and shorter minimum stays. Share houses feel more like a home with long-term housemates. For stays under 6 months, either works. Compare the total monthly cost, including any common area fee.

How Much Is a Student Apartment in Tokyo?

A private 1R studio in Tokyo’s 23 wards starts at about ¥60,000 a month in the cheapest wards, and 1K/1DK rent runs from ¥64,700 in Nerima to ¥150,300 in Minato. The cheapest wards for a 1R studio are:

Ward	Average 1R rent (¥/month)	Good for students at
Nerima	59,800	Waseda, Rikkyo (Seibu Ikebukuro and Seibu Shinjuku lines)
Itabashi	60,000	Rikkyo, Toyo, schools around Ikebukuro
Arakawa	60,700	University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of the Arts
Edogawa	61,100	Schools in eastern Tokyo and along the Tozai line
Suginami	66,700	Sophia, Meiji, schools on the Chuo line

Source: Hato Mark Site rent statistics, April 2026. See all wards in our 1-bedroom apartment in Japan guide.

An apartment makes sense for programs of a year or longer. You need a guarantor company, a Japanese phone number and proof of funds. Your own place usually costs more than a share house once you add utilities and move-in fees, but you get privacy, a full kitchen and a long-term address.

Example: a budget 1R near the Keio Line. A 19.87㎡ studio in Kyuden, Setagaya ward, a 7-minute walk from Sengawa Station, rents for ¥62,000 plus a ¥3,000 common fee, with no deposit and no key money. The building accepts foreign tenants. Rooms like this go fast in March and April, so if your start date is flexible, a move between May and January gives you more choice and better prices.

Where Should Students Live in Tokyo? Areas Near Major Universities

The best area is usually one stop or one transfer from campus, one or two wards further out. Moving out from Shinjuku or Shibuya to Nakano, Nerima or Itabashi often saves ¥10,000 to ¥20,000 a month.

University	Campus station	Cheaper areas on a direct line	Guide
Waseda	Waseda, Takadanobaba	Nakano, Saginomiya, Kami-Shakujii	Waseda student housing
Keio (Mita, Hiyoshi)	Mita, Hiyoshi	Tsunashima, Motosumiyoshi, Kamata	Keio student housing
Temple University Japan	Sangenjaya	Sakura-shinmachi, Futako-Shinchi, Mizonokuchi	Temple University Japan housing
ISI Language School	Takadanobaba, Ikebukuro	Itabashi, NerimaWhere Should Students Live in Tokyo? Areas Near Major Universities	ISI student housing
University of Tokyo	Todaimae, Hongo-sanchome	Arakawa (Nippori), Kita ward	Student

How Much Is a 1K Near Campus?

Living right next to campus costs ¥10,000 to ¥30,000 more a month than an outer ward on the same train line:

Area	Near	1K rent (¥/month)	Share house from
Bunkyo ward	University of Tokyo, Meiji, Tokyo Medical and Dental	82,000–108,000
Takadanobaba (Shinjuku ward)	Waseda, ISI Language School	80,000–105,000	48,000
Ikebukuro (Toshima ward)	Rikkyo, schools around Ikebukuro	78,000–100,000
Suginami ward	Hosei, Chuo line schools	72,000–95,000
Nerima, Itabashi, Kita, Adachi	Commuting students	58,000–75,000

Ranges are typical rents on Arealty listings. The trade-off is time: saving ¥15,000 a month by living in an outer ward can add around 270 hours of commuting over an academic year, so price your time too.

How Much Does It Cost to Move Into a Student Apartment?

Moving into a ¥60,000 1K apartment in Tokyo costs about ¥270,000 to ¥300,000 in total. Here is a real example from an Arealty listing, Maison Nishigikubo KM:

Item	Amount
Key money	¥30,000
Guarantor company fee	¥35,000
Admin and other fees	¥41,000
Agency fee (1 month + 10% tax)	¥66,000
First month’s rent and fees	¥71,050
Security deposit	¥0
Subtotal	¥243,050
Fire insurance and lock change (typical)	About ¥30,000–¥55,000

Share houses and dorms cost far less to move into, usually one month’s rent plus a deposit or admin fee. Budget an extra 1 to 2 months of living costs on top for furniture, a phone plan and your first weeks in Tokyo.

Share House vs Apartment: Total Cost Over 12 Months

Over a one-year program, a share house costs about ¥300,000 to ¥700,000 less than a private 1K:

	Monthly rent	Move-in cost	12-month total
Share house	¥58,000 (utilities included)	¥50,000–¥80,000	¥746,000–¥776,000
1K in an outer ward	¥68,000	¥250,000–¥340,000	¥1,066,000–¥1,156,000
1K in a central ward	¥88,000	¥300,000–¥400,000	¥1,356,000–¥1,456,000

Totals do not include utilities for apartments (about ¥8,000–¥12,000 a month) or furniture. Most Tokyo apartments come unfurnished, so budget ¥80,000 to ¥150,000 to furnish a 1K.

How to Rent as a Student Without a Guarantor

Most Tokyo apartments need a guarantor company instead of a personal guarantor. As a student, you can usually pass screening with:

• Certificate of enrollment or admission letter
• Passport and residence card
• Proof of funds, such as a bank statement, scholarship letter or a parent’s sponsorship letter
• Emergency contact in Japan, often your school’s international office
• Japanese phone number

Part-time work income does not count as stable income for screening. Student visas allow up to 28 hours of work a week during term, and up to 8 hours a day during long school breaks, with a work permit.

Using Your Parents as Guarantor

If your landlord accepts a parent as guarantor or as the payer behind a guarantor company, they usually need to show income of about ¥240,000 a month (around ¥2.88 million a year) or more. For example, a parent earning AUD 7,000 a month, about ¥680,000, clears that easily. Prepare an income certificate or recent payslips, translated into English or Japanese.

When to Start Looking: Timeline

Before arrival	What to do
8–10 weeks	Confirm enrollment and apply for a dorm
6–8 weeks	Start searching share houses and apartments
4–6 weeks	Apply and start guarantor screening
2–3 weeks	Sign the contract and pay move-in costs
Arrival week	Register your address at the ward office within 14 days

Demand peaks before the April and September/October intakes, so start earlier if you arrive then. If your housing falls through, book a short stay for your first week and line up two or three share houses as backups. Our short-stay apartments under ¥50,000 guide lists options.

Student Accommodation in Tokyo: FAQ

Find Student Accommodation in Tokyo

Arealty lists foreigner-friendly apartments and share houses across Tokyo, with English support from search to move-in. Browse student-friendly apartments in Tokyo, or see average rent in Tokyo by ward.

Sources

• JASSO: International Student Living Survey FY2023
• Arealty: 1 Bedroom Apartment in Japan (Hato Mark Site rent statistics, April 2026; move-in cost example)
• Arealty: International Student Accommodation Tokyo (current version)
• Arealty: Student Apartments in Tokyo: Best Areas and How to Apply (merged into this article)
• Arealty: Best Rental Options for International Students in Japan (merged into this article)