Daily costs per person in JPY. Tokyo is surprisingly affordable for a world capital — conbini culture and standing eateries keep budgets low.
Daily cost breakdown
Currency: JPY (Yen) (1 USD ≈ ¥150)
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Splurge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ¥2,500–4,000 | ¥8,000–15,000 | ¥25,000+ | Capsule/hostel → business hotel → ryokan/boutique |
| Food | ¥2,000–3,000 | ¥5,000–8,000 | ¥15,000+ | Conbini & chains → ramen & izakaya → sushi omakase |
| Transport | ¥500–1,000 | ¥1,500–2,500 | ¥5,000+ | Subway pass → IC card → taxi/private |
| Activities | ¥500–1,500 | ¥2,000–5,000 | ¥10,000+ | Free temples & parks → museums & teamLab → private tours |
| Drinks | ¥300–800 | ¥1,500–3,000 | ¥5,000+ | Conbini beer → izakaya → cocktail bars |
| Daily Total | ¥5,800–10,300 | ¥18,000–33,500 | ¥60,000+ | $39–69 → $120–223 → $400+ |
Money-saving tips
Conbini life
Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) have excellent ¥300–500 meals — onigiri, bento boxes, sandwiches, and fresh coffee. Quality rivals sit-down restaurants.
Train passes
Get a 72-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket (¥1,500) for unlimited metro rides. IC cards (Suica/Pasmo) save ¥10–30 per trip vs paper tickets and work on vending machines too.
Free attractions
Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, Imperial Palace Gardens, Tsukiji market browsing, Yoyogi Park, Yanaka, and most shrine visits are completely free.
Cheap eats
Gyudon (beef bowl) chains like Yoshinoya and Matsuya serve full meals from ¥400. Standing soba shops near stations: ¥300–500. Ramen averages ¥800–1,000.
Capsule & hostels
Capsule hotels from ¥2,500/night with onsen baths. Hostels in Asakusa and Taito from ¥2,000/night. Book on Hostelworld or Booking.com 2+ weeks ahead.
100-yen shops
Daiso and Seria have surprisingly high-quality items for ¥100 — travel adapters, chopsticks, snack containers, and souvenirs that look far more expensive.
