Furnished Apartment vs Serviced Apartment vs Monthly Mansion in Tokyo

# Furnished Apartment vs Serviced Apartment vs Monthly Mansion in Tokyo The three categories of "ready-to-live-in" Tokyo rentals — furnished apartment, serviced apartment, monthly mansion — overlap a lot but have **meaningful differences in price, services, and target resident**. This guide clarifies which is which, what you actually get, and how to choose. For the anchor reference, see our [furnished apartments in Tokyo](/furnished-apartments-tokyo) guide. ## What's the actual difference between these three categories? | Aspect | Furnished apartment | Serviced apartment | Monthly mansion | |--------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------| | Furniture / appliances | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | ✅ Included | | Utilities + Wi-Fi | ✅ Usually included | ✅ Included | ✅ Usually included | | Cleaning during stay | ❌ Self | ✅ Weekly housekeeping | ❌ Self | | Front desk / concierge | ❌ Usually no | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | | Min stay | 1 month typical | 1 night-1 week | 1 month | | Typical monthly cost (central Tokyo) | ¥80,000-¥250,000 | ¥250,000-¥600,000+ | ¥80,000-¥200,000 | | Target resident | Mid-stay residents (1mo-2yr) | Corporate transferees, executives | Short-term workers, tourists | | Booking pattern | Direct from operator | Hotel-style platforms | Direct or aggregators | ## What is a furnished apartment in Tokyo? A **furnished apartment** is a regular Tokyo rental apartment with all furniture, appliances, and utilities included in the monthly rent. You live in it like a normal home — you cook your own meals, do your own laundry, clean as needed. The operator (e.g., Modern Living Tokyo) handles maintenance, but you don't have hotel-style services. **Best for:** Anyone staying 1 month to 2+ years who wants a real home without the hassle of buying furniture or setting up utilities. The majority of international residents in Tokyo for work, study, or remote living choose this option. ## What is a serviced apartment in Tokyo? A **serviced apartment** is essentially a hotel suite — fully furnished, all utilities included, **plus weekly cleaning, fresh linens, and 24-hour concierge**. Often run by hotel groups (Oakwood, Citadines, Frasers, Dash Living, Blueground). The trade-off: cost. Serviced apartments in central Tokyo typically run **¥250,000-¥600,000/month**, with luxury options exceeding ¥1,000,000. They're priced for corporate transferees whose company is paying. **Best for:** Executives on 3-12 month assignments, families relocating before finding permanent housing, people who explicitly want hotel-style amenities. ## What is a monthly mansion in Tokyo? A **monthly mansion** (マンスリーマンション) is the Japanese term for a furnished apartment rented on a monthly basis, typically targeting **short-term Japanese workers** (relocations, business trips, project work). Operators include Goodmonthly, Apaman Shop Monthly, Smamen, Monthly Apartment Tokyo. In practice, **"monthly mansion" and "furnished apartment" overlap heavily** — they're often the same product with different marketing. Differences when they exist: - Monthly mansion sometimes has slightly lower standards of furniture/appliance quality (utility-grade) - Monthly mansion target audience is Japanese domestic workers; less English-language support - Monthly mansion contracts may be slightly less flexible (monthly minimum, but stricter cancellation terms) **Best for:** Japanese-speaking residents doing short-term work assignments, or international residents on a tight budget who don't need English support. ## Which option is right for my situation? ### "I'm relocating to Tokyo for 6 months with a company" If your company is paying: **serviced apartment** (they expect this; concierge handles your settling-in). If you're paying: **furnished apartment** — same quality of life at 1/3 the cost. ### "I'm a remote worker / digital nomad in Tokyo for 2-4 months" **Furnished apartment.** Best balance of space, cost, and flexibility. You don't need concierge; you do need a kitchen and good Wi-Fi. See our [digital nomad guide](/blog/furnished-apartment-tokyo-digital-nomads-expats). ### "I'm moving to Tokyo for 1-2 years for a new job" **Furnished apartment.** Avoids the ¥600,000+ upfront on a traditional lease; flexibility if your plans change; comparable monthly cost when you factor in everything. ### "I'm visiting for 2 weeks and want a real home base" A **furnished apartment or weekly mansion**. Cheaper than a hotel after 10+ nights. See our [weekly mansion guide](/weekly-mansion-tokyo). ### "I'm a student starting a year-long program" **Furnished apartment** or **share house** (cheaper). See our [student share house guide](/blog/share-house-tokyo-students) for the share house route. ### "Money is no object; I want luxury and full service" **Serviced apartment** in Minato (Roppongi, Azabu) or Chiyoda. Brands like Oakwood, Dash Living. ## What about cost over 12 months? For a 12-month Tokyo stay in a central neighborhood: - **Serviced apartment (Roppongi 1BR):** ¥350,000/mo × 12 = ¥4,200,000 - **Furnished apartment (Modern Living Shibuya/Meguro 1K):** ¥130,000/mo × 12 = ¥1,560,000 - **Monthly mansion (generic 1K Shinjuku-area):** ¥110,000/mo × 12 = ¥1,320,000 A serviced apartment costs **~2.5-3× a comparable furnished apartment** for the year. The cleaning + concierge + brand premium isn't worth it for most residents — unless your company pays. ## What about flexibility on lease length? - **Furnished apartment:** Month-to-month, 30-day notice to leave, no penalty on most units - **Serviced apartment:** Often very flexible (nightly to monthly), but with commensurate price - **Monthly mansion:** Monthly minimum, varies — some have 3-month minimums, some have early-termination fees For maximum flexibility at reasonable cost: **furnished apartment**. ## Related guides - **Anchor:** [Furnished apartments in Tokyo — full guide](/furnished-apartments-tokyo) - [How much does a furnished apartment in Tokyo cost?](/blog/how-much-furnished-apartment-tokyo-cost-2026) - [Weekly mansion rentals in Tokyo](/weekly-mansion-tokyo) - [Furnished vs unfurnished apartments — 12-month cost](/blog/furnished-vs-unfurnished-apartments-tokyo) ## Ready to compare actual options? [Browse Modern Living Tokyo's 300+ furnished apartments](/furnished-apartments-tokyo). Real photos, transparent monthly all-in pricing, no hidden fees.