Fukuoka - Post Report Question and Answers

What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?

Expensive if you want to live in the city, but doable if you are willing to live in the country. There are organizations that help foreigners rent housing. Beware that some places may not want to rent to you because of your nationality. Also, there is the joyous key money, up to US$3,000, just for the privilege of renting there. Most places will have the toilet separate from your bath. The is a place to shower before you take a bath. It is extremely rare to have a dryer, so unless you like having your clothes take three days to dry during the winter, scout out laundromats near your house. Fukuoka City has a really good transportation system -- bus, subway, and trains. Taxis are expensive but available. If you live outside of the city, there are good train/bus options. However, if you are off one of the lines, it can be expensive to get in and out of the city. A lot of train stations have bike parking, and there is usually a taxi idling outside when you arrive. There are international organizations, like Rainbow Plaza in the IMS Building, that can help you find housing and translation services. - Jan 2007


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