Moving in · Updated October 2026Ad · Affiliate links
Monthly apartment in Tokyo or a lease: what 1, 3, 6 and 12 months cost
At Tokyo median prices, an Oakhouse private room or a XROSS HOUSE apartment totals less than a Leopalace lease at every stay from 1 to 12 months, though the room is smaller. Leopalace's own monthly contract totals less than its lease only for 1 month. Totals run start to finish: move-in fees, rent for every month and the cost of leaving.
On this page
Monthly apartment in Tokyo: total cost for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months
Each row is one contract type at Tokyo median prices, grouped as 1-month-plus contracts and a lease, in alphabetical order, not ranked. The rooms are not the same size, and the room size is in each row.
| Contract | 1 month | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-month-plus contracts | ||||
| Leopalace monthly contractFurnished 1-room, 1,633 rooms open to 30-day stays | ¥348,500 | ¥924,500 | ¥1,788,500 | A stay of a year or more is a lease |
| Oakhouse apartmentMedian of 156 Tokyo apartments, 19 m² | ¥176,200 | ¥424,200 | ¥796,200 | At least ¥1,540,200 |
| Oakhouse private roomMedian of 1,819 Tokyo rooms in shared houses, 11 m² | ¥128,200 | ¥280,200 | ¥508,200 | At least ¥964,200 |
| XROSS HOUSE apartmentMedian of 935 Tokyo apartments, 14.6 m² | ¥163,500 | ¥320,500 | ¥556,000 | ¥1,027,000 |
| XROSS HOUSE share houseMedian starting rent of a private room, Tokyo, ages 18 to 39 | ¥111,000 | ¥240,000 | ¥433,500 | ¥820,500 |
| Lease | ||||
| Leopalace leaseFurnished 1-room at the Tokyo median rent of ¥96,000, 20.8 m² | ¥489,380 to ¥509,990 | ¥701,808 to ¥722,418 | ¥1,020,450 to ¥1,041,060 | ¥1,561,734 to ¥1,582,344 |
"At least" means Oakhouse contracts end after 6 months, so 12 months is two contracts, and Oakhouse does not say whether the second carries another ¥50,000 contract fee. An ordinary unfurnished lease from a real estate agent is not in the table because we hold no sourced key money, deposit or insurance amount for one; what an ordinary lease adds lists its costs. Leopalace's range is its rent-guarantee company fee, 100% to 120% of one month's charge. Leopalace rents and 30-day charges read October 9, 2026, Oakhouse October 9, 2026, XROSS HOUSE October 9, 2026.
The operator-by-operator comparison, with address registration and languages, is on furnished apartments in Tokyo. Leopalace's monthly rules are on Leopalace monthly apartments.
How each total is built
Total = paid once + (months x each month) + paid on leaving. Every number is a Tokyo median or a fee from the operator's own pages.
| Contract | Paid once | Each month | Paid on leaving | Not in the total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopalace monthly contract | ¥44,000 monthly fee + ¥16,500 key exchange = ¥60,500 | ¥288,000, the median 30-day room charge | Nothing more; the first 30 days are never refunded | The adjustment charge set by the room's rank (¥13,530 in Leopalace's example) |
| Oakhouse | ¥50,000 contract fee + ¥2,200 bed pad = ¥52,200 | Apartment ¥124,000; private room ¥76,000. Rent plus common fee, with utilities up to a cap and internet | Nothing; rent runs to at least 1 month after your notice | Bedding rental (¥17,600, optional) |
| XROSS HOUSE apartment | ¥30,000 move-in fee (¥50,000 without the campaign) | ¥77,000 rent + ¥1,500 support fee = ¥78,500 | ¥55,000 exit fee, however short the stay | The rent-guarantee company's first fee (not stated), utilities, internet, bedding |
| XROSS HOUSE share house | ¥30,000 move-in fee | ¥48,000 rent + ¥15,000 common fee + ¥1,500 support fee = ¥64,500 | ¥16,500 exit fee | The rent-guarantee company's first fee (not stated) |
| Leopalace lease | Key money ¥96,000 + cleaning ¥52,250 + fire insurance ¥19,890 + key exchange ¥16,500 + first month ¥105,690 + guarantee company ¥103,050 to ¥123,660 = ¥393,380 to ¥413,990 | ¥105,690 after the first (rent ¥96,000 + common fee ¥6,500 + area fee ¥550 + internet ¥2,640) + ¥524 debit fee = ¥106,214 | 1 month's rent, ¥96,000, if you leave within the first year | Utilities (checking), optional plans |
Sources: Leopalace Tokyo lease search, Leopalace Tokyo monthly search, Leopalace monthly guide, Leopalace lease guide, Oakhouse move-in fees, XROSS HOUSE FAQ, Village House FAQ.
What an ordinary lease adds
An ordinary lease from an agent has five costs a monthly contract does not, and we can fill in only some of them.
- Agent fee. At most 1.1 months' rent in total from tenant and landlord, and for a home no more than 0.55 months from you unless you agreed to more when you asked the agent for help (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, June 2024). That is a ceiling; we hold no typical fee.
- Key money and deposit. Checking. We hold no sourced amount for an agency lease. UR Rental Housing asks 2 months' rent as a deposit and no key money, and Leopalace's own example has 1 month of key money and no deposit (landlords compared).
- Guarantor. A guarantor company takes the place of a person. Fees we hold are in guarantor companies in Japan; most are not stated.
- Fire insurance. Checking for an agency lease. Leopalace's is ¥19,890 for 2 years, and you may use your own.
- Leaving early. Checking for an agency lease; read the contract's notice period. Leopalace charges 1 month's rent within the first year, and Village House 3 months' rent.
Ask the agent for the itemized estimate before you choose a stay length. With it, the total is key money + deposit + agent fee + guarantee company fee + insurance + (months x rent) + the cost of leaving, less any deposit returned.
When does a lease start to cost less than a monthly contract?
Between 1 and 3 months for Leopalace, which sells both. At 1 month the monthly contract is ¥140,880 to ¥161,490 lower than the lease. At 2 months the lease is ¥20,296 to ¥40,906 lower, which is inside what the lease's utilities and the monthly contract's adjustment charge could move, and we hold neither figure. At 3 months the lease is ¥202,082 to ¥222,692 lower, and at 6 months ¥747,440 to ¥768,050 lower.
The reason is the price of the room: the median 30-day charge was ¥288,000 against ¥106,214 a month on the lease, a difference of ¥181,786 each month, while the lease needs ¥393,380 to ¥413,990 at the start against ¥60,500. The two medians are for different sets of rooms: rooms open to 30-day stays, and every furnished 1-room listing.
Against that lease, an Oakhouse private room and a XROSS HOUSE apartment total less at every stay in the table. The one close call is an Oakhouse apartment at 12 months: ¥1,540,200 at least, against ¥1,561,734 to ¥1,582,344 for the Leopalace lease.
What the totals leave out
- Utilities. Included up to a cap at Oakhouse. At XROSS HOUSE and on a Leopalace lease you pay your own, and we hold no sourced amount (checking). The Leopalace guide's sample breakdown shows water and utilities at ¥0 on the monthly plan.
- Guarantee company. XROSS HOUSE requires one and does not state its first fee, so its totals are lower than the real bill. Leopalace's is in its lease row.
- Address registration. You need it for your residence card. Oakhouse and XROSS HOUSE say you can register at the property; Leopalace's monthly rate tables say they apply to non-residential use, so ask the store which rate applies (Leopalace monthly).
- Who can rent. XROSS HOUSE share houses take ages 18 to 39 and apartments 18 to 59. Village House can ask for a deposit or a joint guarantor after screening.
- Rooms. A median XROSS HOUSE apartment is 14.6 m² and a Leopalace Tokyo lease room 20.8 m², so the lower totals above are for smaller rooms.
More on each: XROSS HOUSE review, Oakhouse review, Village House guide, Leopalace lease costs.
How we checked
Rents are medians of each operator's own Tokyo listings on the dates above, counted by us; they are asking rents, not what tenants paid. Fees are from each operator's own pages, read on the dates on those pages. Two new facts were read on October 13, 2026: the agent fee ceiling from a Ministry slide (a PDF, so our automatic checker cannot re-read it) and Leopalace's monthly guide. We have not rented from any of these companies.
Leopalace, Oakhouse, XROSS HOUSE and Village House have affiliate programs we joined. Their buttons on this page are A8.net affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you sign up through them. The totals are the same either way. Read our editorial policy.
Monthly apartment in Tokyo: FAQ
Is a monthly apartment in Tokyo cheaper than a lease?
For one month, yes: Leopalace's monthly contract totals ¥348,500 at the Tokyo median, against ¥489,380 to ¥509,990 for its own lease. From 3 months the lease totals ¥701,808 to ¥722,418 against ¥924,500. An Oakhouse private room and a XROSS HOUSE apartment total less than that lease at every stay in the table, though the rooms are smaller.
How much does a monthly apartment in Tokyo cost for 3 months?
In the table, 3 months totals ¥280,200 for an Oakhouse private room, ¥320,500 for a XROSS HOUSE apartment and ¥924,500 for a Leopalace monthly contract, all at Tokyo medians.
What is the shortest stay for a Tokyo apartment?
Oakhouse and XROSS HOUSE take 1 month, and Leopalace takes 30 days on a monthly contract. A lease runs for a year or more, and leaving early has a price at Leopalace and Village House.
Can I rent a Tokyo apartment for a year on a monthly contract?
Not at Leopalace: a stay of a year or more is a lease. Oakhouse contracts end after 6 months, so a year means signing again. XROSS HOUSE writes a 1-year contract that you can end with 1 month's notice.
Does an ordinary lease in Tokyo cost more up front?
Yes, at Leopalace it is ¥393,380 to ¥413,990 before the first full month of utilities, against ¥52,200 at Oakhouse and ¥30,000 at XROSS HOUSE. An unfurnished agency lease adds an agent fee of up to 1.1 months' rent, plus key money and a deposit whose amounts depend on the listing.