Even a small 1-room apartment in Minato-ku averages ¥120,000/month (~$800). For comparison, the Tokyo-wide average is around ¥70,000/month (~$500). This data is from the National Association of Real Estate Transaction Associations Japan. Since it’s an average, ultra-expensive apartments skew the number. If you search carefully and compromise, you can still find cheaper places, even in high-end areas.