Leopalace 21: Worth the extra rent?

Upon moving into the country of Japan, one of the biggest concerns on any newcomer's mind is of course, housing. Where will you live, how much is the rent here, and even if you can live by yourself or not are still questions easily resolvable, as compared to the bigger question: HOW can you get a place. If you come into Japan as an English teacher, especially as an ALT with a company (aka not the JET program), chances are that the companies will have all the things settled for you by providing you a little apartment called Leopalace.

I've lived in a couple Leopalaces as well as a couple more places that aren't, so today, let's talk about the pros and cons.
 

The biggest advantage and the biggest reason why ALT companies look for Leopalace for the employees is the ease to moving in. Leopalaces are designed to be easy to move into. The whole guaranteer thing is a non-worry (especially with your company backing you up), for starters. You also don't need to run around looking for cheap furniture, because these apartments come furnished: microwave, fridge, washing machine, stove, a bed frame of sorts, and even a TV! Granted, these appliances aren't the top of the line or even new. The TV is the smallest I've ever used (so I bought my own), the table is attached to the wall, and the chairs have absolutely no back support (so again, I bought my own), but it does come with the comfort that you can move in and start living pretty much immediately.

With the furnished apartment also comes another perk that many people don't think about: the ease of moving out. In the case of your work contract ending and you are moving to a different location, you are responsible for moving or getting rid of your appliances like fridges and bed frames, and when you're in Japan, that isn't free. You have to purchase some "big garbage tickets" and call to arrange a date for you to put these huge trash out to be picked up, and it is a hassle! At a Leopalace, you can just leave them be and walk out like a champ as you move out.
 

Internet is also in place and ready to go within a couple of days upon moving in, so you don't have to go through the entire process (which is also in Japanese) of setting up your own internet, which in Japan, will sometimes take you up to a month. Believe me, I've done that twice and it was a pain in the attic.
The space of a Leopalace isn't too tiny either, compared to some other options out there. You got a washroom, a kitchen, and a living/bedroom, so if you're coming into the country for a year or two and you live by yourself, a Leopalace is a feasible option.

The cons, are there too, of course. The biggest complaint that I always hear about from my friends (and myself included) is the rent. To subsidize for the utility, renting a Leopalace will cost you likely an extra 20% or so. For example, the Leopalace in the Saitama area that I was in when I first came to Japan cost around 55,000 yen per month, and the tiny non-furnished place that the company found for me upon my request was only 32,000. Sure, it was smaller, but that was quite a difference in price, and I spent probably 50,000 to 60,000 yen to furnish my place up, so by the 4th month, I was saving about 20,000 a month.
 
 
In Gifu now, the Leopalace I rented was about 50,000 per month, and since I moved out to look for a different place, I was able to rent a much nicer place for about the same price, but a much bigger kitchen, an actual living room and an actual bedroom with several closets. As my time in Japan continued, my living standard increased (while my income too, only slightly), so I was looking for a better, bigger, nicer place to live in, because a Leopalace just couldn't satisfy anymore.

So, is a Leopalace worth the price? Well it all depends on your plans. If you're staying here for just a year or two and you don't want to deal with the whole hassle, a Leopalace will handle most of the trouble for you, if you are living alone. If you plan to set foot into the country and grow your roots here, then maybe the extra cost can be put into better use to look for either a cheaper or a nicer place to live in. I didn't regret my time in a Leopalace because it was what I needed at my stage back then, so now, I've moved on. Hope this helps!