If you’ve ever looked at housing prices in Tokyo, you’d know the price tag could vary depending on the nearby train stations, ie which train lines and how far they are from the property. Since the JR Yamanote loop line services some of Tokyo’s most desirable postcodes with some of the city’s biggest train stations, Japanese real estate company Suumo surmises that properties around the train line’s 30 stations are highly sought after and hence they cost more than the average.
The company recently conducted a study on second-hand apartments along the JR Yamanote line to see how prices vary between the stations. Apartments were divided into two categories: single-living properties between 20-50sqm and those more suited to couples and families that were between 50-80sqm.
Interestingly, rates for single-living apartments and family-sized apartments aren’t always congruent with each other. For instance, Nippori ranked first as the most affordable station along the Yamanote line for single-living, with apartments going for ¥28.7 million. However, Nishi-Nippori appeared to have the best rates for those looking for larger apartments (average around ¥48.8 million).
Apartments for solo occupants (20-50sqm)
The three most affordable areas for solo occupants are Nippori, Tabata and Uguisudani, where apartments go for ¥28.7 to ¥30.3 million. The most expensive areas are, predictably, Meguro, Ebisu and Shimbashi, where apartments can reach an inexplicable ¥64.8 million. Here is the full list:
- 1st Nippori ¥28.7 million
- 2nd Tabata ¥29.99 million
- 3rd Uguisudani ¥30.3 million
- 4th Nishi Nippori ¥30.99 million
- 5th Tamachi ¥31.8 million
- 6th Ikebukuro ¥32.8 million
- 7th Sugamo ¥33.15 million
- 8th Otsuka ¥34.8 million
- 8th Okachimachi ¥34.8 million
- 10th Ueno ¥34.99 million
- 10th Komagome ¥34.99 million
- 12th Shin-Okubo ¥36.9 million
- 12th Takadanobaba ¥36.9 million
- 14th Mejiro ¥37 million
- 15th Gotanda ¥37.3 million
- 16th Akihabara ¥41.245 million
- 17th Yoyogi ¥41.8 million
- 17th Shinjuku ¥41.8 million yen
- 19th Hamamatsucho ¥42.8 million
- 20th Osaki ¥44.8 million
- 21st Shinagawa ¥48.8 million
- 22nd Shibuya ¥49.8 million
- 22nd Kanda ¥49.8 million
- 24th Meguro ¥50.4 million
- 25th Ebisu ¥51.4 million
- 26th Shimbashi ¥64.8 million
Apartments for couples and families (50-80sqm)
The three most affordable areas for couples and families are Nishi Nippori, Tabata and Uguisudani, where apartments cost slightly below ¥50 million. The most expensive apartments are in Shibuya, Ebisu and Shimbashi, where an apartment can set you back around ¥100 million. Here is the full list:
- 1st Nishi Nippori ¥48.8 million
- 2nd Tabata ¥49.8 million
- 3rd Uguisudani ¥49.8 million
- 4th Nippori ¥52.99 million
- 5th Okachimachi ¥56.8 million
- 6th Ueno ¥57.65 million
- 7th Ikebukuro ¥59.8 million
- 8th Sugamo ¥60.8 million
- 9th Otsuka ¥61.8 million
- 10th Takadanobaba ¥62.8 million
- 11th Komagome ¥62.89 million
- 12th Akihabara ¥63 million
- 13th Shin-Okubo ¥66 million
- 14th Yoyogi ¥69.8 million
- 15th Shinagawa ¥69.9 million
- 16th Mejiro ¥70.8 million
- 17 Shinjuku ¥71.8 million
- 18th Harajuku ¥74.4 million
- 19th Tamachi ¥74.8 million
- 20th Gotanda ¥75.8 million
- 21st Meguro ¥79.8 million
- 22nd Osaki ¥80.8 million
- 23rd Kanda ¥85.8 million
- 24th Hamamatsucho ¥92.3 million
- 25th Shibuya ¥94.8 million
- 26th Ebisu ¥97.8 million
- 27th Shimbashi ¥118 million
It should be noted that not all areas along the JR Yamanote line were taken into account due to a lack of Suumo-managed properties in the area. For the ranking of larger apartments, properties near Yurakucho, Takanawa and Tokyo stations were omitted whereas the ranking for smaller apartments didn’t include the aforementioned three stations as well as Harajuku.
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