OpenTube

I Live In The Countryside Of Japan For $238/Month — Take A Look Inside My Apartment

CNBC Make It

1,502,181 views

Lexi Smith moved from Atlanta to Japan to teach at an eikaiwa, or an English conversation school, where she has 1:1 or 2:1 classes with both kids and adults. Her youngest student is two years old and her oldest is 73 years old. She earns about $1,700/month and pays $236/month for her apartment in the Chiba Prefecture of Japan.

Produced and Edited by: Raffi Paul
Senior Managing Producer: Eric M. Clark
Camera: Naotomo Umewaka
Reporter: Celia Fernandez
Animator: Christina Locopo
Additional Footage: Lexi Smith

Subscribe to CNBC Make It.: http://cnb.cx/2kxl2rf
Watch CNBC on the go with CNBC+: https://www.cnbc.com/WatchCNBCPlus

Want to be your own boss? Sign up for Smarter by CNBC Make It's new online course, How To Start A Business: For First-Time Founders. Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue. Sign up today with coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off the regular course price of $127 (plus tax). Offer valid September 16 through September 30, 2025: https://cnb.cx/4nD9RKm

About CNBC Make It.: CNBC Make It. is a new section of CNBC dedicated to making you smarter about managing your business, career, and money.

Connect with CNBC Make It Online
Get the latest updates: https://www.cnbc.com/make-it
Find CNBC Make It on Instagram: https://bit.ly/InstagramCNBCMakeIt
Find CNBC Make It on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBCMakeIt
Find CNBC Make It on threads: https://cnb.cx/threadsCNBCMakeIt
Find CNBC Make It on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBCMakeIt

#CNBC
#CNBCMakeIt
#Unlocked

I Live In The Countryside Of Japan For $238/Month – Take A Look Inside My Apartment

20 Comments

@CNBCMakeIt Creator 1 year ago Pinned

Do you rent or own? Share your story with us for a chance to be featured in a future installment of Unlocked: https://forms.gle/jXxFsQnUtHNSHBDu6

@hirotsu_sanpei 1 year ago

I did this 20 years ago on the JET Programme and I am still in Japan with my own home and business. Best of luck to Lexi!

@flipsolo 1 year ago

I hope folks realize how refreshing and LIBERATING it is to live in a place where you don't have watch your back all the time.

@voicesinthewoods 1 year ago (edited)

Could you imagine working 5 hour days with an hour break time and actually being able to afford rent, utilities, food, gas and bills?!! You can actually have a place to live without having to choose between rent or food or medical? Or having that constant knot in your stomach?! Or to even be able to afford a place to live at all?!!
To actually be able to live and have the basics as WELL as a healthy work-life balance?!!!
That’s freaking amazing!!!!!

Thank you for this video!
I’m so happy for you! You are doing a great job with teaching! You are such a lovely person!

@BrideOfIAM 11 months ago

Bruh, sis is living the life. So happy for her.

@DoktorSchadenfreude 1 year ago (edited)

American here. I have lived in Japan for over 30 years now. It's been a wonderful experience for the most part. I think the cost of living will vary depending upon where you live and so forth (of course). Retiring here is a bit of a worry - my pension will be small, and we'll have to strategize to make ends meet. Inflation has started to hit a bit hard here, and prices are rising - especially food and energy costs.

I think she's in a great situation, but for those who may have an interest in this kind of work, there are some problematical companies here which pay much less, and expect a lot more from you than a few hours of teaching per day, and you may struggle to pay the bills. Lexi's situation is very nice, and I am happy for her. However, if you watched this clip and got inspired to try the life, I recommend doing your due diligence. Reddit has some useful information. Good luck!

@mutobo24 1 year ago

Happy to see a young black woman thriving and enjoy life in a foreign country Keep it up young lady

@lovenspired 1 year ago

What a polite, beautiful, and delightful woman. It's nice when people of great character move to Japan to make a positive impact. I'm sure her students and schools adore her.

@glansingColt2 1 year ago

one thing i like about japan is how respectful people are, something we have lost in the west

@Toagame-o3y 1 year ago

My friend's dream was to travel the world, and the first country she visited was Okinawa, Japan. However, she fell in love with Okinawa so much that she lost interest in traveling the world and now lives in Okinawa lol

@umigame1239 7 months ago

Japanese here. You are so sweet, JET program is only for 2 years maybe, but Japan really need teachers like you!!! I hope government support talent like you to stay longer with good terms

@MyWishMyCommand 1 year ago

Her enunciation of English words and engagement as a conversationalist is exceptional. I’m sure she’s an excellent English teacher.

@Big-O86 1 year ago

She isn’t lying! I’ve been living in japan for 3 years now and she is spot on. We love it here

@hahn310 1 year ago

$12/mo health insurance for her....our country is so screwed

@leeshet.1937 1 year ago

You’ve done so well with the transition. As an older African American woman I’m proud of you for taking a chance and trying this out. It worked out well because you were positive and prepared. May God continue to bless you! 🙏🏽

@itsehsanh 11 months ago

I have traveled to 104 countries (So far), but Japan is my number 1 by a mile. I have spent about 5 months across 8 trips there and have loved each and every one of them. Japan invokes the feeling of home, even more so than the U.S. where I have lived for 30 years. I can't wait to move there permanently.

@carmellabrown3335 1 year ago

She seems very happy. Wishing her well!!! Japan seems cool.

@MoniqueBrown-o7g 1 year ago

this is the most refreshing and real cnbc release. it is genuine. it is real. it is realistic. i hope she finds a school that appreciates her when she returns to the states.