For students, companies and professionals, all over the world.
Remoters puts you in touch with a home finder living there, who speaks your language, searches to your criteria, views on your behalf and stays with you through to the signed lease.
They know the neighbourhoods, the rents and how the local market works, and they speak your language.
Listings, agencies, local network: they shortlist to your criteria and view properties on your behalf.
They present your application to the landlord and negotiate the lease terms for you.
Verified home, lease reviewed, secure payment: you sign knowing exactly what you are getting.
Six missions, from the first brief to key handover.
Real budget, viable neighbourhoods, size, life constraints. The brief is written before the first listing — that's what saves three months of pointless viewings.
Portals, local agencies, private landlords: your home finder checks every new listing daily and contacts agencies on your behalf, so nothing slips through.
Filmed viewings, an honest report, walks through the neighbourhood at different hours. You no longer need to travel: your home finder does it all for you remotely.
Local rent levels, service charges, the state of the property, lease length. Concrete arguments to negotiate the terms — on your side, this time.
Locally required documents, guarantor, translation, review of the lease and the inventory. This is where foreign applications most often fall apart.
Inventory, key handover, utilities set-up, first admin steps. Your home finder doesn't disappear once the contract is signed: they remain a valuable contact for any questions about life on the ground.
No scams, verified homes, secure payment.
A home found in a few weeks.
Guided by a local home finder, in your language.
Everything handled remotely, stress-free.
Four steps, from your request to the signed lease.
You start by filling in a short questionnaire to tell us a bit more about your search.
One of our home finders then takes over and contacts you for a free first conversation. The goal? Understanding exactly what you need.
If it clicks and you want to move forward, you receive a tailored quote. Once approved, the search begins!
Your home finder searches for you, shares their finds, stays with you through to signing the lease — all that’s left is packing your bags.
Join a community of happy clients.
Tokyo in brief: Japan's capital offers a wide and well-organised long-term rental market, with monthly rents ranging from around ¥70,000 JPY per month for a compact studio in an outer ward to over ¥400,000 JPY per month for a large apartment in a central ward like Minato or Chiyoda. The rental process involves Japanese-specific costs (key money, security deposit, guarantor fee) and requires careful document preparation. Central wards such as Minato, Shibuya, and Shinjuku are the most popular with international residents; outer wards like Edogawa and Adachi offer the best value. An extensive train and subway network makes most of the city accessible without a car.
Tokyo is one of the world's most liveable megacities, consistently ranked among the top global cities for safety, infrastructure, and quality of life. For expatriates, the city offers a rare combination of urban density and neighbourhood-level calm, with distinct residential areas each carrying their own character.
Day-to-day life in Tokyo as an expatriate is highly practical once you are settled. Here is what to expect in concrete terms:
Tokyo's long-term rental market is large, competitive, and highly segmented. The city's 23 special wards each have distinct rental profiles, and demand remains consistently strong due to Tokyo's role as Japan's economic, cultural, and administrative capital. As of 2024, Tokyo's foreign resident population stood at approximately 542,864 people, representing 5.6% of the total population, with the highest concentrations in Shinjuku Ward (around 44,000 foreign residents), Edogawa Ward (43,000), and Adachi Ward (39,000), according to E-Housing (2024).
The market is dominated by small to mid-sized apartments. The most common rental formats are 1K, 1DK, 1LDK, and 2LDK units, reflecting Tokyo's predominantly single-person and couple households. Furnished apartments are becoming increasingly available, particularly for mid- to long-term stays, driven by the rise of flexible work arrangements.
Rental prices have remained relatively stable in outer wards but have trended upward in central and semi-central wards. The gap between the most expensive ward (Minato) and the most affordable (Edogawa) for a 2LDK unit was approximately ¥286,400 JPY per month — a ratio of roughly 3.3 times — according to Plaza Homes (2025). This wide spread means that budget-conscious tenants can find significantly more space by choosing wards one or two stops further from central hubs.
Tokyo's 23 special wards offer a wide range of residential environments, from ultra-central business districts to quieter, family-oriented neighbourhoods. Choosing the right ward depends on your lifestyle, commute needs, and rental budget.
Tokyo's long-term rental market is one of the most structured in Asia, with clearly defined apartment categories and transparent pricing tiers. Monthly rents are primarily driven by ward location, floor plan type, building age, and walking distance to the nearest train or subway station. Central wards such as Minato, Chiyoda, and Shibuya command the highest rents, while Edogawa, Adachi, and Nakano offer more accessible price points without sacrificing connectivity.
For a single professional, a realistic monthly rental budget in a mid-range ward starts at around ¥80,000–¥100,000 JPY per month for a compact studio. Couples or small families should plan for at least ¥150,000–¥200,000 JPY per month for a 1LDK or 2LDK. In addition to monthly rent, the initial move-in costs in Tokyo are notably high compared to many other cities: the combination of security deposit, key money, agency fee, and guarantor company fee can represent three to six months' rent paid upfront.
Rental budgets in Tokyo vary considerably depending on the ward, apartment type, building age, and proximity to train stations. According to the Tokyo Relocation Guide (2025), a studio or 1K apartment (roughly 20–30 sqm) in Tokyo typically rents for between ¥85,000 and ¥140,000 JPY per month, while a 1LDK unit (35–50 sqm) ranges from ¥150,000 to ¥300,000 JPY per month. Larger family layouts such as 2LDK or 3LDK start around ¥220,000 JPY per month in outer wards and can exceed ¥400,000 JPY per month in prime central locations.
Premium wards such as Minato, Chiyoda, and Shibuya consistently sit at the top of the price range, while outer wards like Edogawa, Adachi, and Nakano offer more affordable options. Building age is also a key factor: newer buildings (under 10 years old) can command a 15–40% premium over older stock, according to XROSS HOUSE (2024).
Beyond monthly rent, tenants should budget for significant upfront costs: a security deposit (shikikin) of 1–2 months' rent, key money (reikin) of 0–2 months' rent where applicable, and an agency fee of approximately one month's rent plus 10% consumption tax.
Renting in Tokyo as a foreigner involves several pitfalls that can delay or derail your search. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid:
Finding a long-term rental in Tokyo as a foreigner can be a complex process, involving language barriers, strict landlord requirements, and unfamiliar administrative procedures. Remoters connects you with vetted local rental search specialists who understand the Tokyo market and can guide you through every step — from identifying foreigner-friendly listings and negotiating with landlords to preparing your rental application file and coordinating with guarantor companies.
Whether you are relocating for work, moving with your family, or settling in Tokyo for an extended stay, having a dedicated local expert by your side significantly increases your chances of securing the right apartment in the right neighbourhood, at the right budget.
Google · August 1, 2026 · translated from French · See the original review
Trustpilot · July 27, 2026 · translated from French · See the original review
Trustpilot · December 16, 2025 · translated from French · See the original review
Trustpilot · December 4, 2025 · translated from French · See the original review
Allow three to four months' rent, paid before you move in. The deposit (shikikin), refundable, is 1 to 2 months; reikin, a non-refundable gift to the landlord, another 1 to 2 months; the letting agent's fee, one month.
On top comes compulsory home insurance, about 15,000 to 25,000 JPY for two years. Without a guarantor, a guarantee company usually charges 0.5 to 1 month's rent. As flats are often let empty, budget for appliances too.
Minato (Azabu, Hiroo, Roppongi) is the most expensive: a 1LDK costs 270,000 to 360,000 JPY a month. Expect 230,000 to 300,000 JPY in Shibuya (Nakameguro, Daikanyama) and 200,000 to 250,000 JPY in Shinjuku.
Meguro and Setagaya, residential and green, offer good value; Shimokitazawa, Koenji and Sangenjaya are trendy and affordable; Edogawa, Adachi and Katsushika are the cheapest. Above all, look at the line: being close to the JR Yamanote or the Tokyo Metro makes daily life easier.
Your home finder, who goes in your place: in Tokyo, viewings are done with a letting agent anyway. They send you photos, video and detailed feedback on the condition of the flat, its real size and the distance to the station.
They follow SUUMO, LIFULL HOME'S and agencies for foreigners such as GaijinPot Apartments or Sakura House, then help you understand the lease, often written only in Japanese, before signing.
Use a guarantee company (hoshougaisha), which replaces a personal guarantor (hoshounin), or target listings marked "Hoshounin Fuyou", which require no guarantor.
The file also includes ID, your residence card (zairyu card) and proof of income or an employment contract. After moving in, register at your ward office (kuyakusho) within 14 days to update that card. Your home finder backs your application with the letting agent.
A rental search in Tokyo usually costs between JPY 50,000 and JPY 100,000: the range we have seen across the searches carried out in Tokyo since February 2025. The exact price depends on your search; your home finder sets it in a written quote, free and with no commitment.
You pay online through the platform, never directly to the home finder. The security deposit and local fees (agency, check-in inventory) are not included.
Français
English
Español
