💰 My Japan Trip Cost: Budget Breakdown (2025)

💰 Trip Cost	Average
💵 Typical Budget	$70-$140/day
🍀 My Budget	$145/day
✈️ Trip Total	$2,033
🗓️ Trip Length	2 weeks

Lists By Lukiih is readers-supported. When you buy with my affiliate link, I may earn a small commission. Thanks!

Is Japan Affordable To Travel To?

Japan is a moderately priced destination worldwide but one of the most expensive destinations in Asia. It’s often considered a luxury destination in the region.

• Japan has a high cost of living with expensive accommodations, even if you opt for budget or capsule hotels.
• The country’s train system is world-class and the bullet train is amazing but very expensive.
• While Japan has cheap dining options like ramen and conveyer-belt sushi, it can’t beat many prices in Southeast Asian countries.
• Many temples have small entrance fees, but there are also a lot of attractions with higher costs.

For comparison, here’s my daily budget for destinations in Asia:

Destination	My Budget
🇯🇵 Japan	$145
🇰🇭 Cambodia	$123*
🇸🇬 Singapore	$122
🇹🇼 Taiwan	$102
🇻🇳 Vietnam	$89
🇹🇭 Thailand	$77

*My Cambodia daily budget is high because I splurged on accommodation.

See all my daily budgets.

About My Trip

To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my trip:

• I spent 2 weeks in Japan, visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and Shimanami Kaido.
• My trip was in September, during the start of the high season, when things are more expensive.
• I traveled with another person, which allowed us to split costs like housing.
• I’m a mid-range budget traveler. I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m intentional about my spending.
• I finance my trips and don’t receive sponsorship.
• All expenses are per person and in US dollars, converted from the Japanese yen.

The exchange rate was $1 USD = 142 JPY at the time of writing.

Planning a trip? Here’s what to know about Japan.

Total Cost

• $2,829
• $2,033
• $145

A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend about $140 per day in Japan. This budget generally means:

• Staying at accommodations that cost about $70 per night
• Eating at a mix of izakayas, sushi, and high-end places for $30 per day
• Getting around by taking advantage of the excellent public transportation
• Paying entrance fees for popular attractions

Budget Breakdown

Here’s a breakdown of my expenses by travel category:

Category	Cost	% of Total	Daily Budget
✈️ Flights	$796	28%	–
🏠 Accommodation	$807	29%	$58
🍣 Food	$489	17%	$35
🚆 Transportation	$374	13%	$27
⛩️ Entertainment	$155	6%	$11
🛍️ Shopping	$208	7%	$15
Total	$2,829	100%	$145

Flight Cost

• $398 (round-trip flight from US’s west coast to Tokyo’s Haneda airport)

A round-trip flight between the US and Singapore costing under $800 is considered cheap, as international flights typically cost between $850 and $1,500.

Accommodation Cost

• $807
• $58

The accommodations I stayed at:

Accommodation	Total Cost	Cost per Night
Kyoto ryokan	$268	$268
Kyoto hotel	$96	$48
Tokyo hotel (Nihonbashi)	$179	$36
Tokyo hotel (Shinjuku)	$37	$37
Mt. Fuji hut	$64	$64
Mt. Fuji hotel	$37	$37
Onomichi hotel	$96	$96
Imabari hotel	$30	$30

My accommodation budgeting tips:

• Be prepared to pay at least $15 a night – Stay in a dorm-style hostel for about $30 a night in big cities like Tokyo. You can find hostels for closer to $15 a night in more remote areas. If you want more privacy, consider staying at a capsule hotel, where you can rent an enclosed bed for less than $40 a night.

• Stay in non-central areas – While accommodations in Japan can be affordable in non-central areas, expect to pay $70 for mid-range hotel rooms in central areas of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
• If you have high budget, stay at a ryokan – Luxury hotels in major cities will be as high as $900, but I recommend staying in a ryokan if you have a higher budget. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn that offers an immersive cultural experience and has things like tatami mat floors, sliding paper doors, and onsen (hot spring baths). A standard one starts at $150.

Food Cost

• $489
• $35

My most affordable meals:

Meal	Location	Cost
Onigiri and a latte	7-Eleven (Tokyo)	$1.50
Udon with miso soup	Nakau – Shichijo Shimmachi (Kyoto)	$3
Octopus gyudon rice bowl	Chidori Shokudo (Ikuchi Island)	$10

My most expensive meals:

Meal	Location	Cost
Premium beef shabu shabu	Gyū Kimura (Kyoto)	$52
Premium beef yakiniku	Arakawa (Kyoto)	$43
Multi-course tofu set	Okutan Nanzenji (Kyoto)	$23

My food budgeting tips:

• Eat at convenience stores – If you’re on a budget, you can eat Japanese food for $3 to $10 at convenience stores (Family Mart, 7-Eleven, and Lawson), street food markets, and fast food restaurants where you sometimes order at a machine resembling a vending machine. Unlike the places in the US, food from these places is actually quite good.

If you buy a refrigerated meal, like gyudon, ramen, or pasta, they will warm it up for you and provide utensils.

• Visit markets – Markets, like the popular Nishiki Market in Kyoto and the Kuromon Ichiba Market in Osaka, are cheap places to try a wide variety of good food for less than $12, as each stall sells $1 to $3 snack-bite food.
• Try conveyor belt sushi – Conveyor belt sushi restaurants are a good deal if you’re craving seafood. I ate at one in Shinjuku, a central location in Tokyo, for $13.

• Don’t fruits from groceries – You’ll notice that fresh fruits in Japan can be very expensive (e.g., over $15 for a handful of grapes) because fruits hold more significance in Japanese culture. But if you go to local supermarkets, you can buy them for reasonable prices.

Transportation Cost

• $374
• $26

The transportation I used:

Transportation	My Cost	2025 Price Update
Japan Rail Pass (7-day pass)	$232	$330
Bike rental (2 days)	$41	Same
Train tickets & day passes	$40	Same
Bus tickets to Mt. Fuji	$16	Same
Luggage shipping	$15	Same
Coin-operated luggage storage (4x)	$12	Same
Uber/Taxi in Kyoto (2 rides)	$9	Same
Bus from Haneda Airport to Tokyo	$9	$10

My transportation budgeting tips:

• Get the Tokyo Day Pass – Some local transportation, like Tokyo’s local trains, offers a cheap day pass that is usually cost-efficient if you take the train more than three times within 24 hours.
• Calculate the tradeoffs of getting the JR Pass – JR, the same group that operates all the bullet trains (called Shinkansen), serves many of Japan’s trains. The JR Pass is expensive, so you should know your rough Japan itinerary before purchasing it. That way, you can evaluate whether it’s worth it. I got the 7-day JR Pass for my Japan itinerary because it was cheaper than buying individual rides.

• IC cards can make things more convenient – You’ll notice that many places in Japan, including public transportation, convenience stores, restaurants, and vending machines, will accept IC cards like PASMO and Suica. An IC card is a rechargeable travel card that you can get to make navigating Japan easier.
• Take advantage of the coin-operated storage – When figuring out transportation, know that many of Japan’s train stations have coin-operated luggage storage that is cheap and convenient. It typically costs less than $5 for 24-hour storage. As the name implies, they are sometimes cash-only and need exact change. Train station attendants can give you change for larger bills.

Entertainment Cost 

• $155
• $11

The activities/attractions I did:

Experience	Location	My Cost
🌋 Mt. Fuji Hike Entrance Fee	Yamanashi	$10
⛩️ Fushimi Inari Taisha	Kyoto	Free
🚲 Shimanami Kaido Cycling Rentals	Hiroshima	$40
🎋 Arashiyama Park Sagano Romantic Train	Kyoto	$12
🌱 Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden	Tokyo	$3
🐠 Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan	Osaka	$18
🚶🏻‍♀️ Philosopher’s Path	Kyoto	Free
🚦 Shibuya Scramble	Tokyo	Free
💆‍♀️ Massages & Misc (2x)	Kyoto & Tokyo	$61
🎤 Karaoke & Drinks	Tokyo	$20
🏐 Yoyogi Stadium Olympics Qualifier Volleyball ticket (Tokyo)	Tokyo	$20

My entertainment budgeting tips:

• Visit the many free attractions – Japan is known for its natural beauty, so there are many free outdoor activities and attractions available. Tokyo has tranquil and beautiful urban parks, including Yoyogi Park and Shinjuku Central Park.

• Opt for alternative attractions – There are also alternative free or cheap attractions. For example, Shibuya Sky is a popular sunset observation deck in Tokyo, but you can save $15 by going to the deck on the 45th floor of the government building instead. Many of Kyoto’s smaller and less well-known temples in the Arashiyama district and Philosopher’s Path are free.

See my ratings for Japan’s experiences.

Cost Breakdown by Destination

Below are my trip expense breakdowns for the places I visited during my trip.

Tokyo

• 6 days
• $594
• $99

Tokyo is Japan’s most expensive city, with high accommodation and transportation costs. However, it also offers many free attractions and neighborhoods to explore.

Kyoto

• 2 days
• $616
• $308

Kyoto is another one of Japan’s most expensive places to visit, especially if you plan to stay at a ryokan. The city is known for its well-preserved historical sites. It boasts over 1,600 temples, and all the major or popular ones have a small entrance fee (usually around $5). The city also has many free temples, like the ones found on the Philosopher’s Path or in the Arashiyama district.

Osaka

• 1 day (day trip)
• $50

Osaka is called “Japan’s Kitchen” and a foodie’s paradise. It’s well-known for its street food, nightlife, and numerous Michelin-starred places, so expect to spend a bit on dining. If you like some guidance, plenty of English-speaking guides offer street food tours.

Do You Need Cash?

• Although Japan has a good credit card infrastructure, a significant part of its economy is based on cash transactions. This is especially true once you wander outside its major cities, so make sure to bring some cash.

My tips on using cash:

• Japan’s currency is the Japanese yen (JPY), and the US dollar is not widely accepted.
• Carry about $40 worth of cash per day. On my Japan trip, I spent a total of roughly $200 (about $15 per day) in cash. 
• Tipping is NOT customary in Japan. You’ll find that locals will refuse tips even if you offer or insist. In fact, tipping can be considered rude. This is because they feel you’re already sufficiently paying for their service.

Japan Trip Planner 2025

Download my trip planner to make your travel preparation effortless. It features up-to-date travel information and a well-researched itinerary informed by firsthand experience. Each section is customizable so it can be as lightweight or as hyper-organized as you like.

My trip planners are built on Notion, which I use for all my planning. I genuinely love this tool and creating an account is free.