Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Japan Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Japan Property Pack
If you're looking to buy a house in Japan, you're probably wondering how much you should budget.
We constantly update this blog post to give you the freshest price data, neighborhood breakdowns, and cost estimates for houses across Japan in 2026.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Japan.
How much do houses cost in Japan as of 2026?
What's the median and average house price in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average price for an existing house in Japan is around ¥25.7 million (roughly $163,000 or €140,000), while the estimated median sits closer to ¥22 million ($139,000 or €120,000).
Most house purchases in Japan fall within a typical range of ¥15 million to ¥40 million ($95,000 to $253,000 or €82,000 to €219,000), which covers about 80% of transactions nationwide.
The gap between the median and the average exists because expensive properties in prime urban areas like central Tokyo pull the average upward, meaning half of all buyers actually pay less than ¥22 million for their home.
At the median price of ¥22 million in Japan, you can typically expect an older detached house with 3 to 4 rooms (3LDK to 4LDK), around 90 to 110 square meters of living space, located in a suburban commuter belt or a regional city with decent rail access.
What's the cheapest livable house budget in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the minimum budget for a livable house in Japan is around ¥8 million to ¥12 million ($51,000 to $76,000 or €44,000 to €66,000).
At this entry-level price in Japan, "livable" typically means a structurally sound older home that may need cosmetic updates but has functioning plumbing, electricity, and no major repair emergencies.
These cheapest livable houses in Japan are usually found in outer commuter zones like Kasukabe in Saitama, parts of Chiba Prefecture, or regional cities such as Sendai's outskirts, Niigata, or Shizuoka's suburbs where land values remain low but rail access still exists.
Wondering what you can get? We cover all the buying opportunities at different budget levels in Japan here.
How much do 2 and 3-bedroom houses cost in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical 2-bedroom house (2LDK) in Japan costs around ¥18 million to ¥23 million ($114,000 to $146,000 or €98,000 to €126,000), while a 3-bedroom house (3LDK) typically runs ¥22 million to ¥28 million ($139,000 to $177,000 or €120,000 to €153,000).
The realistic price range for a 2-bedroom house in Japan spans from about ¥15 million to ¥28 million ($95,000 to $177,000 or €82,000 to €153,000), depending heavily on whether you're in a regional city or within commuting distance of Tokyo.
For a 3-bedroom house in Japan, expect a wider range from ¥18 million to ¥35 million ($114,000 to $222,000 or €98,000 to €191,000), as the extra room often means more land, which is where the real price difference comes from.
Moving from a 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom house in Japan typically adds a premium of ¥4 million to ¥7 million ($25,000 to $44,000 or €22,000 to €38,000), mostly because the additional bedroom usually requires a larger plot of land.
How much do 4-bedroom houses cost in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical 4-bedroom house (4LDK) in Japan costs around ¥28 million to ¥40 million ($177,000 to $253,000 or €153,000 to €219,000), with prices rising significantly once you enter strong employment areas near major cities.
For a 5-bedroom house in Japan, the realistic price range is ¥35 million to ¥65 million ($222,000 to $411,000 or €191,000 to €355,000), as these larger homes require substantially more land, which is the primary cost driver.
A 6-bedroom house in Japan typically costs between ¥45 million and ¥85 million ($285,000 to $538,000 or €246,000 to €464,000), with the upper end reflecting properties in desirable areas with good transit access rather than unusually fancy construction.
Please note that we give much more detailed data in our pack about the property market in Japan.
How much do new-build houses cost in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical new-build spec house (called "tateuri" or 建売) in Japan costs around ¥38.3 million ($242,000 or €209,000) on average nationwide.
New-build houses in Japan carry a premium of approximately 50% compared to older resale houses, reflecting the newer construction quality, modern building codes, and generally better marketability that comes with buying a freshly completed home.
How much do houses with land cost in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical house with land (where you purchase the plot and build a custom home) costs around ¥50 million ($317,000 or €273,000) on average in Japan.
In Japan, the typical plot size that qualifies as a "house with land" ranges from about 100 to 200 square meters in urban or suburban areas, though regional properties can be significantly larger for the same price.
We cover everything there is to know about land prices in Japan here.
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Where are houses cheapest and most expensive in Japan as of 2026?
Which neighborhoods have the lowest house prices in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the neighborhoods with the lowest house prices in Japan include Tokyo's outer wards like Adachi, Katsushika, and Edogawa, as well as commuter belt cities such as Kasukabe in Saitama, Funabashi in Chiba, and Sakai or Higashi-Osaka in the Osaka metro area.
In these cheaper neighborhoods in Japan, typical house prices range from ¥15 million to ¥25 million ($95,000 to $158,000 or €82,000 to €137,000), which is well below the prime urban core prices.
The main reason these neighborhoods have the lowest house prices in Japan is that they sit outside the tightest employment clusters and the most prestigious school zones, so land values are structurally lower even though rail access remains acceptable for daily commuting.
Which neighborhoods have the highest house prices in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the three neighborhoods with the highest house prices in Japan are Minato (including Azabu, Akasaka, and Roppongi), Chiyoda (near Otemachi and Marunouchi), and Shibuya (especially around Aoyama and Omotesando) in central Tokyo.
In these most expensive neighborhoods in Japan, typical detached house prices start around ¥80 million to ¥150 million ($506,000 to $949,000 or €437,000 to €820,000) and can easily exceed ¥200 million for well-located properties.
The main reason these neighborhoods command the highest house prices in Japan is that land supply is extremely constrained while demand from both wealthy domestic buyers and international investors remains persistent, especially in areas undergoing continuous redevelopment.
The typical buyer in these premium Tokyo neighborhoods tends to be a high-net-worth individual, a corporate executive, or a foreign investor seeking either a residence near international schools and embassies or a trophy asset in Japan's most prestigious addresses.
How much do houses cost near the city center in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, houses near Tokyo's city center (including Chiyoda, Minato, Shibuya, and parts of Shinjuku) typically cost ¥60 million to ¥120 million ($380,000 to $759,000 or €328,000 to €656,000), though detached homes are rare in these areas as condominiums dominate.
Houses near major transit hubs in Japan (within a 5-minute walk of busy stations in the greater Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya areas) generally cost 15% to 30% more than similar homes further from stations, with prices typically starting around ¥35 million to ¥50 million ($222,000 to $316,000 or €191,000 to €273,000).
Houses near top-rated schools in Japan, such as those affiliated with Keio, Waseda, or Gakushuin in the Tokyo area, tend to cost ¥50 million to ¥90 million ($316,000 to $570,000 or €273,000 to €492,000) due to overlapping demand from education-focused families.
Houses in expat-popular areas in Japan, such as Hiroo, Azabu, Akasaka, and parts of Yokohama near international schools, typically range from ¥70 million to ¥150 million ($443,000 to $949,000 or €383,000 to €820,000), reflecting both premium land values and strong foreign demand.
We actually have an updated expat guide for Japan here.
How much do houses cost in the suburbs in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a typical house in the suburbs of major Japanese cities costs around ¥20 million to ¥35 million ($127,000 to $222,000 or €109,000 to €191,000), which is where most detached family homes are actually located.
The typical price difference between suburban houses and city-center houses in Japan is about 40% to 60% lower in the suburbs, meaning a family can often buy a larger home with a garden in the suburbs for what a cramped central plot would cost.
The most popular suburbs for house buyers in Japan include Kawagoe and Omiya in Saitama, Kashiwa and Funabashi in Chiba, Tachikawa and Machida in western Tokyo, and Suita and Toyonaka in the Osaka metro area, all offering a balance of rail access and livability.
What areas in Japan are improving and still affordable as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the top improving yet still affordable areas for house buyers in Japan include Fukuoka city in Kyushu, Sapporo in Hokkaido, Sendai in Tohoku, and select outer Tokyo rail corridors where new station developments are underway.
The current typical house price in these improving yet affordable areas in Japan ranges from ¥18 million to ¥30 million ($114,000 to $190,000 or €98,000 to €164,000), which remains significantly below Tokyo or Osaka core pricing.
The main sign of improvement driving buyer interest in these areas is new infrastructure investment, including station upgrades, commercial redevelopment around transit hubs, and an influx of remote workers seeking better quality of life outside the traditional megacity centers.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Japan.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Japan versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What extra costs should I budget for a house in Japan right now?
What are typical buyer closing costs for houses in Japan right now?
The typical total closing cost for house buyers in Japan is around 5% to 8% of the purchase price, with simpler cash purchases at the lower end and financed purchases with multiple registrations at the higher end.
The main closing cost categories in Japan include stamp tax on the contract (roughly ¥10,000 to ¥60,000 or $63 to $380 or €55 to €328 depending on purchase price), registration and license tax, judicial scrivener fees (around ¥100,000 to ¥200,000 or $633 to $1,266 or €547 to €1,093), agent commissions, and loan-related fees if financing.
The single largest closing cost category for house buyers in Japan is usually the real estate agent fee, which is legally capped at 3% of the purchase price plus ¥60,000 plus consumption tax, often totaling around ¥1 million to ¥1.5 million ($6,330 to $9,500 or €5,460 to €8,200) on a typical purchase.
We cover all these costs and what are the strategies to minimize them in our property pack about Japan.
How much are property taxes on houses in Japan right now?
The typical annual property tax for a house in Japan is around ¥250,000 to ¥400,000 ($1,580 to $2,530 or €1,370 to €2,190) per year for an average-priced property, though this varies based on your municipality's assessed value.
Property tax in Japan is calculated by applying a fixed asset tax rate of 1.4% plus a city planning tax of 0.3% (in urban planning zones) to the assessed taxable value of your property, which is typically lower than the market price and determined by the local government.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a page with all the property taxes and fees in Japan.
How much is home insurance for a house in Japan right now?
The typical annual home insurance cost for a house in Japan is around ¥50,000 to ¥150,000 ($316 to $949 or €273 to €820) per year for basic fire and property coverage, with costs varying based on construction type and location.
The main factors that affect home insurance premiums for houses in Japan include whether the structure is wooden or non-wooden (wooden costs more to insure), whether you add earthquake coverage (which is often a separate policy), the rebuild cost estimate, and whether the property is in a flood or landslide risk zone.
What are typical utility costs for a house in Japan right now?
The typical total monthly utility cost for a house in Japan is around ¥20,000 to ¥35,000 ($127 to $222 or €109 to €191) for a standard family household, though this can spike higher in extreme summer or winter months.
The breakdown of main utility categories for houses in Japan is roughly ¥8,000 to ¥15,000 ($51 to $95 or €44 to €82) for electricity, ¥4,000 to ¥8,000 ($25 to $51 or €22 to €44) for gas, and ¥3,000 to ¥6,000 ($19 to $38 or €16 to €33) for water, with variations depending on household size, insulation quality, and regional climate.
What are common hidden costs when buying a house in Japan right now?
The estimated total of common hidden costs that house buyers in Japan often overlook is around ¥500,000 to ¥2 million ($3,165 to $12,660 or €2,730 to €10,930), depending on the property's condition and any complications with the land.
The typical inspection fees buyers should expect when purchasing a house in Japan range from ¥50,000 to ¥150,000 ($316 to $949 or €273 to €820) for a basic building inspection, with specialist checks for termites, moisture, or structural issues adding more.
Other common hidden costs beyond inspections when buying a house in Japan include deferred maintenance repairs (especially for older homes), termite treatment, boundary surveys if lot lines are unclear, and potential costs related to access road rights or rebuilding restrictions that affect future marketability.
The hidden cost that tends to surprise first-time house buyers the most in Japan is discovering that a property cannot be rebuilt to the same size due to current zoning laws, which happens frequently with older homes built before regulations changed.
You will find here the list of classic mistakes people make when buying a property in Japan.
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What do locals and expats say about the market in Japan as of 2026?
Do people think houses are overpriced in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, sentiment among locals and expats on whether houses are overpriced in Japan is divided, with buyers in prime Tokyo wards feeling priced out while those in regional cities often see good value compared to other developed countries.
Houses in Japan typically stay on the market for 2 to 4 months in active urban markets, though older properties in less desirable areas can take 6 months or longer to sell if priced too ambitiously.
The main reason locals and expats give for feeling house prices are high in Japan is that land values in desirable areas have been rising steadily while wages have not kept pace, making it harder for young families to buy near their workplaces.
Compared to one or two years ago, current sentiment on house prices in Japan has shifted toward more caution, as rising mortgage rates (now around 0.7% to 1.0% for variable loans versus 0.4% to 0.6% in early 2024) are making buyers more budget-conscious.
You'll find our latest property market analysis about Japan here.
Are prices still rising or cooling in Japan as of 2026?
As of early 2026, house prices in Japan are still rising in major urban areas but at a slower pace than the previous two years, while regional and rural markets remain flat or are seeing modest declines due to demographic pressures.
The estimated year-over-year house price change in Japan is around 3% to 5% for urban areas nationwide, with Tokyo specifically seeing higher increases of around 10% to 12% driven heavily by foreign investment and constrained supply.
Experts and locals expect house prices in Japan over the next 6 to 12 months to continue rising moderately in major cities (around 4% to 6%) but with increasing pressure from higher interest rates, while rural areas will likely see flat or declining values as population continues to shift toward urban centers.
Finally, please note that we have covered property price trends and forecasts for Japan here.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Japan. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Japan, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Housing Finance Agency (JHF) Flat 35 Survey | Public housing finance institution using real loan data. | We used it as our anchor for typical house purchase budgets across Japan. We treated its existing and new-build figures as national averages for livable houses. |
| JETRO Taxes in Japan | Government-linked agency summarizing statutory tax rules. | We used it to confirm ongoing property tax rates. We converted those rates into practical annual budget ranges for homeowners. |
| National Tax Agency Stamp Tax Table | Japan's official tax authority reference. | We used it to include stamp duty as a concrete closing cost. We also flagged time-limited reduced rates mentioned on the official page. |
| MLIT Public Land Price Notices | Japan's land ministry benchmark for land valuations. | We used it to explain why location drives price differences. We relied on it for understanding neighborhood-level pricing patterns. |
| MLIT Land Price Trends Report | Official government summary of nationwide land movements. | We used it to keep our article time-accurate for early 2026. We interpreted whether house prices feel like they're still rising. |
| Statistics Bureau Family Income and Expenditure Survey | Japan's official statistics body under the Statistics Act. | We used it to ground the discussion of typical household spending. We translated that into practical utility and running cost budgets. |
| REINS (Real Estate Information Network System) | Industry transaction network used by licensed brokers. | We used it to triangulate market temperature and regional differences. We relied on it as a sanity check for transaction patterns. |
| Tokyo Kantei Housing Reports | Long-running Japanese market research firm. | We used it for private-sector triangulation on new vs existing pricing. We treated it as a direction and spread check for metro areas. |
| Global Property Guide Japan Analysis | Independent property research covering global markets. | We used it to verify price trends and year-over-year changes. We cross-referenced their regional breakdowns with official Japanese data. |
| Bank for International Settlements Japan Property Index | International financial institution tracking property globally. | We used it to verify long-term price index movements. We relied on it for independent confirmation of Japan's property trajectory. |
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