‘I’ve only been paying bills’: Indian man in Japan spends nearly ₹1 lakh in 25 days, food costs yet to be added

An Indian man living in Japan recently shared a breakdown of his expenses after spending 25 days in the country, revealing that his basic living costs had already reached nearly ₹1 lakh. His calculation, however, does not include food and daily grocery expenses.

Indian Man Shares Japan Expense Breakdown

Dev Vijay Vargiya took to Instagram to share his experience of managing expenses in Japan. He said his monthly salary had not arrived yet, but his spending had already gone beyond his expected budget. His calculation covered several basic expenses, including rent, electricity, gas, water, Wi-Fi, SIM and transportation. According to Vargiya, these costs came to around 150,000 yen, which is approximately ₹90,271, within just 25 days.

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A post shared by Dev Vijay Vargiya (@thefilmychhora_)

"After adding rent, electricity, gas, water, Wi-Fi, SIM, transportation and all the other basic expenses, my total expenses in Japan so far have come to around 150,000 yen (around ₹90,271), which is almost ₹1 lakh, in just 25 days," Vargiya said in the video.

'I've Already Received My Tenth Bill'

The expense calculation came after Vargiya found another bill in his mailbox. He said that although he had not completed a month in Japan, he had already received his tenth bill since arriving in the country. "I literally haven't even completed one month in Japan, and I've already received my tenth bill. Since I arrived, I've only been paying bills," he said.

He clarified that the amount mentioned so far only covers his home and other essential expenses. His biggest spending category—food and daily groceries—was still not included.

"And this is only for my house and basic expenses. I haven't even added my biggest expense yet: food and daily groceries, which is where I spend the most here," he said.

Milk, Bread and Vegetables Cost More

Vargiya also compared the prices of everyday grocery items in Japan with their approximate costs in India. According to his comparison, one litre of milk costs around ₹168 in Japan, compared with approximately ₹50 in India. A loaf of bread costs about ₹100 in Japan, while the same item costs around ₹20 in India. He also showed the prices of several other grocery items, including four eggs for ₹120, two onions for ₹150, one tomato for ₹53, a muskmelon for ₹350 and three bananas for ₹120.

'It's Worth the Money'

Despite highlighting the high cost of living, Vargiya said expenses should not be viewed in isolation. He pointed out that salaries in Japan are also comparatively higher than in India.

"I'm also looking at what we're getting in return for these expenses. A clean, well-maintained surrounding, peace everywhere, greenery, air quality, everything. What more could you ask for?" he added.

His post also prompted reactions from social media users, with one person commenting, "It's worth the money, considering the facilities you get."

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