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France vs Japan
Japan is {pct} {word} than France. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in Japan to match France.
France vs Japan at a glance — Japan is 8% cheaper than France overall. Average net salary: $2,600/mo vs $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 45%.
| France | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost of living index | 104 | 95 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 10% |
| Social security (employee) | 22% | — |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 30% |
| Capital gains | 30% | 20.3% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,164/mo✓ | $1,300/mo |
| GDP per capita | $48,986✓ | $35,951✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 0.9%✓ | 3.2%✓ |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr✓ | 84 yr✓ |
| Quality of life | ||
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
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? Frequently asked questions
Is France cheaper than Japan?
Japan is about 8% cheaper than France overall — its cost-of-living index is 95 versus 104 for France.
How much do you need to earn in Japan to live like in France?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in France is worth about $68,839 in Japan. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.