#Japan #Tokyo #AtHome #Rental Trends #Apartment Prices

Overview of Rental Apartment Price Trends in Japan

On April 2026, AtHome Corporation, a prominent real estate information service based in Ota, Tokyo, commissioned AtHome Lab to analyze the rental market dynamics across major cities in Japan. This report covers the ongoing trends in rental prices for residential apartments, showcasing the substantial increases in various segments.

Overview of Findings

Price Dynamics Across Major Areas

The average rental prices for apartments show a significant uptick across multiple regions. Specifically, the Greater Tokyo Area, which encompasses the 23 wards of Tokyo, Tokyo's suburbs, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, along with key cities such as Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka, have all experienced year-on-year increases. This upward trend in rental costs is indicative of a strong demand in the housing market.

Family and Single Occupancies

When analyzing the results by demographics, family-oriented apartments have recorded an increase in every region for eight consecutive months, indicating robust demand from families seeking stable housing. On the other hand, single-occupancy apartments are noted to have achieved record price levels, with the 23 wards of Tokyo exhibiting a 23-month streak of growth since January 2015, and Osaka City recording a 21-month continuous rise. Notably, Kanagawa Prefecture and Kyoto City have reached their highest prices across all measured areas.

Couples and Singles

For couples, the demand for smaller units has also seen a healthy increase, with couples-oriented apartments experiencing price growth for seven consecutive months across all measured areas. In particular, single-occupant rentals in the 23 wards of Tokyo have maintained an upward trajectory for the last 12 months, achieving the highest levels since January 2015.

Methodology

The analysis covered a total of 13 regions including the Greater Tokyo Area, Sapporo in Hokkaido, Sendai in Miyagi, Nagoya in Aichi, and major cities in Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Data was sourced from the AtHome real estate platform, ensuring a unique representation of rental listings by eliminating duplicate entries.

Definitions

In this study, 'rent' refers to the total monthly costs that tenants are expected to pay, including management and maintenance fees. Various apartment sizes are categorized as follows:

• - Single-oriented: apartments less than 30 square meters
• - Couple-oriented: apartments between 30 to 50 square meters
• - Family-oriented: apartments between 50 to 70 square meters
• - Large family-oriented: apartments exceeding 70 square meters

The average rent index is defined with January 2015 set at 100, and the percentage change is rounded to two decimal places. The top three increases are based on pre-rounded values.

Average Rental Prices as of April 2026

The report includes detailed statistics on average rental prices across different sizes and categories.

For further insights and detailed figures, download the full PDF report from AtHome's corporate website here.