Kiraboshii
後輩
- 13 Aug 2016
- 46
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Hey everyone! New member and just confirmed MEXT graduate student starting this year in Kobe!
I've been reading about the housing prices and frankly, this all has me pretty worried. The uni will be setting me up with a dorm for the first six months, but then I'll need to find my own place, and I'm just not sure I can afford one. The stipend is only 144000 and between rent, utilities and some responsibilities back home, I'm just not sure I can even afford this at all. My friend living in Osaka told me it's absolutely realistic to get an apt for 20-25k in Kobe, but a more in-depth search shows that even the cheapest guest house will run up to 43k. Between that, pension, health insurance, phone, utlities, transportation and saving for an end of the year trip home (which I would need to do even if I didn't want it) I might be forced to dip into my savings account every month just to survive. Luckily, as an older applicant with sorta-kinda a career behind my belt, I do have a hefty savings account, but that's still suboptimal.
Frankly, I'm thinking of giving it a try the first six months and if I can't afford it all, backing out of the program around the time the exams roll around.
Gah, someone please reassure me
You will absolutely be fine! If living expenses are stressing you out the most, maybe contact places like LeoPalace - they're small apartments, but they do (IIRC) come with utilities and internet and are pretty affordable. Your university will also have a housing section, to assist with finding accommodation etc, so you can go to them once you're there and they'll help you find a place within your budget. Another option would be an independently-run student dorm, like Kyoritsu Maintenance. They vary in price but usually include all utilities and meals.
Also, you'll be a student! Japan lets international students have access to student discounts. So you can get a student kippu for your travel, and National Health Insurance will only be about 1500 yen a month. There are also so so so many options for phone and data depending on your needs - you may easily be able to get away with just using a Skype number. Please don't stress! Japan has a reputation for being very expensive but there are definitely ways to live on the cheap and still have a good time.