So I’ve been to Tokyo a bunch of times, I think the number is up to 18 now and one question that I still get to this day is “Dave, isn’t Tokyo crazy expensive?!!”. The sweet and short is yes and no. Truth is that any large metropolis you visit in the world CAN be expensive, and Tokyo is no exception. That doesn’t mean it has to be!

So to help you all out that are hoping to go to Tokyo or Japan in general and are on a budget or don’t want to spend a bajillion dollars to experience my favourite place, lets break down travel costs from low end to high end and break it into categories.

TRANSPORTATION

Getting around major cities is Japan is a breeze thanks to the amazing subway systems they have built, for all the times I’ve been there the subway has been my primary source of transportation. So what will that cost you? well it depends on how often and how far you  plan on using it. Fares are based on distance from the origin station. The further you go the more you pay. So what are your options?

Option 1: Get yourself a Pasmo or Suica card. These are refillable transit cards good for the subway, buses, as well as vending machines, purchases at the convenience store, etc. You load up how much ever you want and just use it as you go.

Option 2: You can also get an unlimited day pass for use on both the Yamanote Line as well as all Tokyo Metro lines. This will set you back about $16/day and I would only recommend it if you plan on going to a lot of places in one day.

How to save money: Plan your days ahead of time and choose areas of interest that are close to each other, take the subway to the first location and walk to the next! Rinse and repeat!!

When it comes to travel expenses YMMV, also if you ware doing other cities other than just Tokyo I would highly recommend getting the JR rail pass. It costs a couple hundred bucks, but you will get your monies worth if you plan on visiting Osaka, Kyoto, and anything in between. It also gives you access to JR lines within the city, so the Yamanote line in Tokyo is included (you can literally visit all of Tokyo off the Yamanote Loop)

How Much I spend: Roughly $10/day

FOOD

This one is entirely up to you. If you want to eat high end food, you can most definitely expect high end prices!
Tokyo has the most Michelin star restaurants in the world, so yes if you plan on eating at them everyday, it’s going to add up. Thats not to say you should stay away from them. The food scene is incredible there, you can eat somewhere like Torikizoku which is a restaurant chain Izakaya that charges about $3 for everything on the menu including drinks and alcohol. If you are looking for other cheap eats, you have Yoshinoya, 7-11, Lawsons, and other budget chains that wont break the bank. On average I spend anywhere from $10-$30 depending what i’m in the mood for. You can find a good bowl of ramen for under $10. If you are looking for sushi, you can find places that don’t charge much per piece, keep in mind that most places don’t do ACE like they do here. So again with everything in this guide, YMMV.

I will say beware buying drinks from vending machines, they are everywhere are super accessible. They only cost $1-$2 but can quickly add up if you’re buying drinks regularly. Grape Fanta and Boss Coffee get me every time lol.

How much I spend: Roughly $30-$60/day

SIGHTSEEING

So sightseeing for the most part is FREE! Any shrines and temples that I’ve been to in Tokyo have been free, My favourite price for things! But a lot of museums, temples, castles and gardens charge an admission of at least a few hundred yen.

Being that I have been so many times, I don’t really do very much sightseeing. However new museums and exhibits do pop up and are most def worth the fees. Most notably are the 2 TEAMLAB exhibits BORDERLESS and PLANETS, with a price tag of around $40 they are worth every penny. Spending up to 4-5 hours in each of them it was one experience I may have to do a second time, next time I’m in town.

Here are some FREE options in Tokyo:

Meiji Shrine
Imperial Palace and East Gardens
Sensoji Temple
Observation deck of the Tokyo Government Office
Hachiko & Shibuya Scramble
Takeshita Dori
Yoyogi Park

There are so many things you can do on a budget while you are in Tokyo! if you are planning on taking a trip and want some help with your itinerary, feel free to drop me an email. I would be more than happy to give suggestions and recommendations for any type of trip.

Have you ever been to Japan?