[Ultimate Guide] Essential Information for Brides Starting a New Life: What Costs Should You Expect When Moving?

We are starting a new life together ♡ We will be moving to a new place ♩

Are you all planning to move because of your marriage??

For brides who are already living together or will start living with their fiancé (my fiancé), that’s great! However,

I think there are many brides who will start living together upon getting married＊

If the couple has lived alone before, I don’t think there’s much to worry about, but if they have lived with their parents, the costs can be an unknown world.

In fact, I began looking for a new house due to my marriage, and it was more expensive than I expected and it was tough...!

So, this time, I will thoroughly explain the necessary "money" to welcome our new life comfortably＊＊

What I will introduce this time is not about buying a house, but about the pattern of renting a new home＊

By the way, about our move…

Before introducing the moving items, I will share the costs incurred for our move, so let me briefly introduce our moving situation.

Him ➡ Living alone. It takes about 20 minutes by car from his place to our new home.

Me ➡ Living with my parents. It takes about 40 minutes by car from my parents' house to our new home.

Since he was living alone and I was moving out from my parents’ house, we had lots of usable furniture and items＊ Here’s what I found ◎

Money needed for a new life ① Security deposit

The first cost incurred when renting a new house is the "security deposit."

The security deposit is money deposited as a guarantee to the landlord. When moving out, any damage or dirt beyond what would naturally occur during daily living will be deducted from the deposit, and the rest will be fully refunded ◎

The security deposit typically ranges from 1 to 3 months’ rent. Recently, there are also rentals that require no security deposit, so brides looking to minimize initial costs should look into it ◎

How much did it actually cost?

My home’s security deposit was 1 month's rent!

I had a 2LDK with a security deposit of 1 month, but apparently, larger homes tend to have higher deposits ◎

Money needed for a new life ② Key money

Key money is another expense required when signing the rental agreement＊ Key money is paid to the landlord as a thank-you and is not refundable.

Typically, key money ranges from 1 to 2 months’ rent＊ Recently, there are also rentals that have zero key money, so if you want to minimize costs, take a look around ♩

The security deposit is refundable, but key money is not, so if you’re debating between two homes with the same rent and quality, I think it’s better to choose the one with less key money ◎

How much did it actually cost?

My home’s key money was 1 month’s rent＊

Most rentals around my house had 1 month’s security deposit and 1 month’s key money, so I believe that is the market rate in my area＊

The security deposit and key money can vary by region, so if there is too much of a difference compared to other properties, it might be worth negotiating ◎

Money needed for a new life ③ Brokerage fee

The brokerage fee is another amount needed when signing the rental agreement＊ Typically, when renting, you will go through a real estate company, and this fee is what you pay to them.

The brokerage fee is determined by the Real Estate Transaction Business Law as "1 month’s rent"＊ So, make sure to prepare an amount equivalent to 1 month’s rent ◎

Some real estate companies may offer discounts or waive the brokerage fee, so if there is one nearby, it might be worth checking them out ◎

How much did it actually cost?

My home’s brokerage fee was equivalent to 1 month’s rent＊

Money needed for a new life ④ Fire insurance premium

The fire insurance premium covers things like fire and water leakage＊ Almost all cases require it to be taken out at the time of the contract ◎

The average cost depends on the size of the home, but it's usually between 15,000 yen and 25,000 yen for a two-year policy. Sometimes, you may be able to choose an insurance company other than the one presented by the real estate company, so it’s worth asking about＊

How much did it actually cost?

The fire insurance premium was 15,000 yen＊ Usually, you pay for two years upfront, so be sure to remember to renew it after two years!

If you move out before the two years are up, you can claim a refund, so don’t forget to ask for your refund ◎

Money needed for a new life ⑤ Prepaid rent and prorated rent

When signing a rental agreement for the new home, prepaid rent is typically required＊ It’s common to pay 1 to 2 months’ rent upfront. Although it’s a future expense, keep in mind that it needs to be paid first＊

Additionally, if you move in halfway through a month, you will need to pay prorated rent for those days. Be sure to know when the prorated rent starts and whether it aligns with your moving schedule ♩

How much did it actually cost?

I paid 1 month of prepaid rent and 3 days of prorated rent＊

As my moving date was flexible, I aimed to move at the end of the month to minimize overlap with the previous month’s rent and limited prorated rent to 3 days ◎

By the way… how about rent when moving out?

When moving from living alone to a new home, many are concerned about the rent for the property being vacated.

The rent due upon moving out is generally stated in the rental agreement signed when you first rented, indicating whether it’s "monthly," "half-monthly," or "daily" which are the typical options.

The place my fiancé was living in operated on a monthly payment basis (once a new month starts, a full month’s rent is charged).

If you move out at the beginning of the month, you’ll be paying rent for a property you’re not living in, and at the new place, you also have to pay prorated rent, leading to double rent costs...!

So, moving at the beginning of the month resulted in paying both the previous and new home’s rents, which is why we decided to move at the end of the month＊

Consider each property’s rent to determine the best timing for your move ♩

Money needed for a new life ⑥ Moving costs

Moving to a new home incurs moving costs as well ◎

The cost varies based on the amount of belongings, transportation distance, timing, and of course, the moving company you choose＊

Compare different moving companies to find the best one for you ♩

How much did it actually cost?

My fiancé moved with furniture and appliances meant for living alone plus his belongings (he has a lot for a single guy as he enjoys outdoor activities) to our new place about 40 minutes away, and it cost around 40,000 yen＊ Since it was a local move and not during the busy season of March to April, I felt it was quite reasonable ◎

I moved from my parents’ home without many belongings, so I transported them little by little with my car and didn’t use a moving company＊

If the couple is moving from far away, it’s better to hire separate services, but if they live nearby, asking for "two locations pickup" might be a good idea ◎

It’s often cheaper than hiring separately, so be sure to ask the moving company about it ♩

How did you choose the moving company?

When I was choosing a moving company, I used a moving comparison website＊

By simply entering the moving location and the amount of belongings, it’s easy to find a moving company without the hassle of contacting them individually, so I recommend it ♩

➡ Here is the moving comparison site＊

When you do a moving comparison, you will receive a lot of phone calls from moving companies! So, it’s best to do a comparison when you have time and are okay with receiving calls ◎

By the way, I was told multiple times, "If you confirm your move over this phone call, we will give you a special offer!!", but after considering about 5 companies, I chose the cheapest one with good reviews ♩

Money needed for a new life ⑦ Furniture & Home appliances

When starting a new life, there may be times when you need to buy new furniture or home appliances＊

If one of you already has furniture and appliances from living alone, you can use those, but a refrigerator meant for one person is often too small for two. You will also need items like a bed ◎

Identify what needs to be purchased or replaced, or if both of you lived alone, what should be sold or disposed of, and prepare for your new life accordingly ♩

How much did it actually cost?

I am still using the furniture and appliances from when my fiancé was living alone＊

The only item I replaced was the refrigerator since it was too small, and I got a larger one (around 500L)! ◎

I still use the washing machine, microwave, and rice cooker from his single life, and I haven’t felt inconvenienced at all＊

As for the bed, we initially used the semi-double that he had during his single days, but over time it felt cramped, so we recently switched to a king-sized bed...!

Other costs include curtains and lighting!

In addition to furniture and appliances, the costs incurred in starting a new life include curtains and lighting. I had to buy new curtains because the ones I used while living alone didn’t fit the new size. We also purchased two new light fixtures since we moved from a 1LDK to a 2LDK and needed more lighting＊

Sometimes lighting fixtures are included, but there are also places without any, so do check before moving in ◎

Starting a new life can be quite costly! Prepare with a buffer ♩

I introduced the necessary funds for welcoming a new life＊

There is quite a bit of money involved in starting a new life! I had never lived alone, so this was my first experience moving because of marriage, and I truly realized, "Moving is expensive...!"

Therefore, brides moving for marriage should calculate not only the wedding costs but also the expenses for starting a new life properly, and aim for a wonderful new life ♩

➡ If you’re still searching for a new home＊ I highly recommend the app ietty for easily finding a new home ◎