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When I tell people "I live in Tokyo" they immediately assume it's crazy expensive. I always say, compared to what? London? New York? San Francisco? Tokyo is act

When I tell people "I live in Tokyo" they immediately assume it's crazy expensive. I always say, compared to what? London? New York? San Francisco? Tokyo is actually cheaper. And there is choice! I could live 15 min away from where I live and save 30% of my rent. But I love the place where I live! (and I don't need to travel anywhere, just walk. So worth the money). One can vary the size / location / age of the building and fight something. Tokyo is so amazing due to mixed-use zoning. Apartments, restaurants, shops, office buildings. All tastefully mixed together. Also the food is so much cheaper. I can get a great, tasty and healthy (-enough) lunch in Tokyo for $10. Same food/quality would cost me $20 in US. Bay Area is terrible. Pay through the roof to live in the middle of nowhere and spend hours every day in traffic.

bradlys 7y ago
I don't think we all spend hours in traffic every day. Nor does everyone pay through the roof. After all, I am surrounded by people who pay less than $4k/yr in property taxes for a $1-3m home that they bought for bargain prices or inherited. It's just the newcomers and perpetually poor who suffer the economic effects. But, hey, the weather is nice and I don't see many "no gaijin" signs here. Would be weird since we're closing in on 40% foreign born after all.
- GreaterFool 7y ago
  I've never seen "no gaijin" signs here either! Maybe it helps that I don't read Japanese :P > or inherited Sadly I failed to inherit property in major metropolitan area :( I suppose I tried? Regarding prices I was thinking about rent actually. Owning a house in Bay Area is not something that pops into my mind in most circumstances!
TulliusCicero 7y ago
> Bay Area is terrible. Pay through the roof to live in the middle of nowhere and spend hours every day in traffic. Don't disagree, but it's also true that compensation at least for programmers is vastly higher in the bay area than Tokyo. Like 3x higher, maybe even more than that.
- delackner 7y ago
  6x and that is a real number, from personal experience.

bradlys 7y ago

I don't think we all spend hours in traffic every day. Nor does everyone pay through the roof. After all, I am surrounded by people who pay less than $4k/yr in property taxes for a $1-3m home that they bought for bargain prices or inherited. It's just the newcomers and perpetually poor who suffer the economic effects. But, hey, the weather is nice and I don't see many "no gaijin" signs here. Would be weird since we're closing in on 40% foreign born after all.

GreaterFool 7y ago
I've never seen "no gaijin" signs here either! Maybe it helps that I don't read Japanese :P > or inherited Sadly I failed to inherit property in major metropolitan area :( I suppose I tried? Regarding prices I was thinking about rent actually. Owning a house in Bay Area is not something that pops into my mind in most circumstances!

TulliusCicero 7y ago

> Bay Area is terrible. Pay through the roof to live in the middle of nowhere and spend hours every day in traffic. Don't disagree, but it's also true that compensation at least for programmers is vastly higher in the bay area than Tokyo. Like 3x higher, maybe even more than that.

delackner 7y ago
6x and that is a real number, from personal experience.