Naturally utilities are billed on an a-la-carte basis, so the more you use, the more you pay. Those who do a lot of cooking or take long hot showers can expect to receive higher gas bills, while those who run the a/c all day to either heat or cool the apartment should expect higher electricity bills. Same goes for water (which is billed once every two months).

On average, electricity bills are around 4,500 yen per month, gas runs an average of 3,000 yen and water comes to about 5,000 yen for two months for one person.

Your mileage may vary.

Last updated on 8月 30, 2010 by Joe Libby