Living the expensive life in tokyo

Tokyo is widely regarded as the most expensive city on Earth. The Japanese capital has been ranked as the costliest place to live in 14 of the last 20 annual reports by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The Guardian spoke to some residents dealing with the high price of living in the money-sapping metropolis.

"I don't usually hang around for the bargains, but it doesn't hurt to be careful with money when you live in Tokyo," childcare worker Mayu Ishikawa tells the newspaper as she snaps up discounted trays of sushi in the local supermarket.

"I moved here a few years ago when I wanted to be in a fun part of town and I didn't mind so much about the expenses. But now we're thinking of moving farther out, beyond Tokyo. We could easily get a bigger place for less."

Indeed, tenants in Tokyo spend 42 per cent of a typical wage on housing costs, while electricity bills have also risen following the Fukushima disaster. At the same time, wages reached a record average low in 2013 of ¥314,150 per month. Some, such as interior designer Ako Miura, who works for a major commercial architects, earn even less than that.

"I couldn't say no," she comments, noting that her company has a reputation for paying more than others in her industry. "Young people in Tokyo earn really bad money."

Inflation is forecast to rise 2.7 per cent this year. Wages, though, are predicted to climb by just 1 per cent.

"It was a big stress when we moved here," adds Miura. "That's the thing about Tokyo. You can get by on very little – if you make sacrifices."