Yes, I think Tokyo being expensive is one of the myths westerners like to repeat about Japan. One reason, I think, for this misunderstanding is that Tokyo is l

Yes, I think Tokyo being expensive is one of the myths westerners like to repeat about Japan. One reason, I think, for this misunderstanding is that Tokyo is laid out quite differently from American cities. Space is used very efficiently and you can live quite far from central Shibuya / Shinjuku / Chuo while maintaining a 20-30 minute commute by train. Another factor is that in Tokyo, most people do not own a car. Commuting by train is significantly cheaper than owning a car, and many companies will even pay for your train pass.