Daily budget overview
| Budget type | Daily cost (per person) | What it gets you |
| Budget | ¥6,000–9,000 ~$40–60 USD | Capsule hotel or hostel dorm, convenience store meals, local transport |
| Mid-range | ¥12,000–20,000 ~$80–130 USD | Business hotel, sit-down restaurant meals, activities |
| Comfortable | ¥25,000–45,000 ~$165–300 USD | 3–4 star hotel, izakaya dinners, sake, paid attractions |
Accommodation costs
Capsule hotels: ¥2,500–5,000 per night. Japan's capsule hotels are clean, well-designed, and a genuinely good experience.
Hostels (dorm): ¥2,500–4,000 per night. Tokyo and Kyoto have excellent hostels.
Business hotels: ¥8,000–15,000 per night. Toyo Inn, Dormy Inn, and APA Hotel are reliable chains. Small rooms but spotless.
Mid-range hotels: ¥15,000–30,000 per night. Significant comfort upgrade — worth it for a longer stay.
Ryokan: ¥20,000–80,000 per night (including meals). A traditional inn with futon bedding, onsen baths, and kaiseki cuisine. Worth doing at least once.
Food costs
Japan is more affordable than most visitors expect, especially for lunch. Convenience stores, standing ramen counters, and lunch specials make eating well on ¥1,500–2,500 per day entirely possible.
- Convenience store lunch (onigiri + drink): ¥400–600
- Ramen at a standard restaurant: ¥900–1,400
- Sushi lunch (conveyor belt): ¥1,500–2,500
- Izakaya dinner (food + drinks): ¥3,000–5,000
- High-end kaiseki dinner: ¥15,000–50,000+
Transport costs (within Japan)
Local transport in Tokyo: ¥200–500 per subway journey. A full day of travel costs ¥1,500–2,500. Use a Suica card.
Shinkansen (bullet train): ¥5,000–15,000 per sector. Tokyo–Kyoto: ¥13,910. Consider a JR Pass if making multiple journeys.
City to city by bus: ¥2,000–6,000. Slower but significantly cheaper than Shinkansen.
Seven-day Japan trip total costs (estimates)
| Budget type | 7-day total (1 person) |
| Budget traveller | ¥80,000–110,000 (~$530–730) |
| Mid-range | ¥150,000–220,000 (~$1,000–1,450) |
| Comfortable | ¥280,000–400,000 (~$1,850–2,650) |
Excludes flights. Based on Tokyo + Kyoto/Osaka trip. Includes accommodation, food, local transport, and activities. 7-day JR Pass (¥50,000) included in mid-range and comfortable estimates.
Tips for saving money in Japan
- Eat lunch at restaurants that do set menus (teishoku) — often ¥800–1,200 for a full meal
- Buy Shinkansen tickets in advance online (e-tickets) for a small discount
- Use highway buses for intercity travel — 4x cheaper than Shinkansen, manageable for overnight trips
- Museums are cheap — most major museums are ¥500–1,500
- Shrines and temples often have free entry; only certain interior areas or gardens charge admission
- 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson sell genuinely excellent prepared food at very low prices