Life in JPN is fairly expensive as it is. City life as an otaku just compounds the problem significantly. Rent is fairly expensive, even for a little hole in the wall place. $600/month as you get the typical single room you see in anime. (PapaKiki is a perfect example. Hidamari Sketch as well.)

Where I used to live (Summer 2006 - Summer 2009). If you scroll a bit to hte right and zoom in, you can spot a 7-11 store. I lived on the 12th floor the of the complex next to it, on the right. There's a Google Street View for that area as well.