Buying A/C in Japan: what matters to purchasers?

As any expat living in Japan quickly learns, summers here are brutally humid and winters can chill you right to the bones, even inside your own home. That makes an air conditioner less of a luxury and more of a basic necessity, which begs the question of how people decide what to buy, and what's the smartest approach from a financial perspective?

A recent survey by NEXER and online appliance retailer Tamatama polled 500 people across Japan about what matters most when buying an air conditioner. The results highlighted some pretty practical priorities, which those of us trying to keep utility bills under control will appreciate.

Image created via Canva

Performance first

The survey found that 26.4% of people put heating and cooling performance at the top of their list, which is no great surprise since if an air conditioner can't reliably cool in July or warm in January, it's basically useless. Many respondents said they bought their aircon purely for comfort and needed it to actually work in the weather extremes here.

Running costs matter

A close second was energy efficiency. With electricity prices rising (and most residences relying on electric climate control), many buyers are concerned about keeping monthly bills manageable over the long term. Features like energy-saving modes, timers, and inverter technology are all big selling points.

Price tags and budgets

Most respondents expected to spend somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 yen (about $300–700 USD) on an air conditioner, but larger or multi-room models can push that up to 150,000 yen or more. For many expats used to central HVAC systems back home, it's worth noting that in Japan, each room typically needs its own unit, and that cost adds up quickly.

Interestingly, nearly 40% of people also cared about design, wanting something that fits their interior style or looks good on the wall. But plenty of others said it didn't matter at all, with comments like "I value performance over looks" or "I just want it to be cheap and efficient."