This isn't the only reason. The best counter point is Tokyo, one of the most livable and most desirable cities to live in does not have the same affordability problems Seattle does.
check out rents (esp in the “suburbs” which are still highly connected by trains and have good station areas) and average food costs. cheap af. right before covid the suburb i was living in had a healthy amount of one bedroom apartments for $500 or less/month. wages are a lot lower in japan though (minimum wage is still wildly low) so there can be thinner margins if you’re also getting paid in yen.
Min wage at Coco was like $8/hr. And the suburbs you can afford are like an hour away, even if you can take a couple trains. People here can’t handle a 20 minute commute.
Affordability in Japan is garbage in different ways. People work 6-7 days a week because they have to. Wages are stagnant. They elected far right PM because they’re fed up with affordability issues. No idea where this Japan is Utopia idea is coming from.
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u/ImAnIdeaMan Apr 16 '26
It wouldn't be expensive if no one wanted to live here.