Expat Housing Tools Hub

Access our suite of 8 interactive real estate tools. Calculate upfront rent fees, compare mortgages, check lease eligibility, or map commutes.

Housing calculators built for foreign residents

Japanese housing costs are quotable in advance, but rarely quoted in English and almost never in full. These tools price each stage of the decision — what you pay to move in, what a mortgage really costs, whether renting or buying leaves you better off, and which areas fit your commute and budget.

Money and eligibility

• Move-in cost calculator — deposit, key money, agency commission, guarantor and insurance, totalled from your target rent.
• Mortgage and purchase estimator — monthly repayment plus registration tax, stamp duty, acquisition tax and cash needed on the day.
• Rent versus buy comparison — both net positions modelled over your horizon, including the opportunity cost of a down payment.
• UR housing eligibility calculator — whether your income or savings clear the thresholds for public housing with no key money or guarantor.
• Renter eligibility quiz — which housing routes are realistically open to your visa and employment profile.

Location and language

• Commute and rent mapper — areas that fit a given journey time and budget, working backwards from your destination.
• Neighbourhood comparison board — two or three areas side by side on rent, transport and English support.
• Listing jargon decoder — an annotated Japanese listing sheet explaining every term that affects your cost.
• Permanent residency readiness check — how the 2027 compliance changes touch renting and buying.

Estimates, then real numbers

Every tool runs in your browser and none requires an account. They produce estimates good enough to set a budget and challenge a quote, not binding figures. When you want costed options on real units, send your profile to the property finder and Affarah, a licensed bilingual brokerage, will search the current agent market for you.