BUDGET FOR YOUR TRIP TO JAPAN

One of the most important questions to ask yourself before planning any trip is HOW MUCH MONEY AM I WILLING TO SPEND? Remember you have to take into account the costs of transportation, lodging, meals, tours and gifts.

Japan is perceived as an “expensive” country, statement to which we disagree. In this post we will break down our expenses for the entire trip, so your may have a basic idea of how much money we spent in each thing and the amount of money you’ll need per day.

(The prices listed are per person for September 2017; we’ll convert from Mexican Peso to today’s currency exchange)

Transportation

AIRPLANE Mexico City to Tokyo (Economy class, direct flight):

$849 USD / € 713

JAPAN RAILWAY 14 days pass, Standard class:

$385 USD / € 323

SUICA/PASMO CARD for subway lines and buses not included in JR Pass:

$65 USD / € 55

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TOTAL       $1299 USD / € 1091

Lodging

HOTELS (double room)

Richmond Hotel Premier Asakusa International, Tokyo, 4 nights

$556 USD / € 467

Royal Park Hotel The Kyoto, Kyoto, 4 nights

$511 USD / € 429

Onsenminshuku Kosakaya, Kii Katsuura, 1 night (breakfast included)

$177 USD / € 148

Sakura Terrace The Gallery, Kyoto, 3 nights

$344 USD / € 288

Hotel Trusty Kanazawa Korimbo, Kanazawa, 2 nights

$221 USD / € 185

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TOTAL         $1809 USD / € 1517

Meals (price per day)

(Average price on cheap to regular restaurants; please take into consideration that for mexicans the main meal of the day is lunch, not dinner)

Breakfast      $9 USD / € 7.6

Lunch           $26 USD / € 21

Dinner          $10 USD / € 8.5

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TOTAL          $45 USD / € 37

** We did have an EXTRA FANCY dinner in Sushi Gion Matsudaya, a one Michelin star restaurant located in Kyoto. The day menu selected by the chef was $130 USD / € 109 per person.

Portable Wifi

Japan Wireless, rental for 15 days, delivered and returned at the airport $75 USD / € 63.

Others

Thankfully most of the activities in Japan are FREE. Here are some that we had to pay for.

Edo Tokyo Museum (Tokyo) $5.5 USD / € 4.5

Toshogu Shrine (Nikko) $12 USD / € 10

Sanbutsudo Hall (Nikko) $3.6 USD / € 3

Kinkakuji (Kyoto) $3.6 USD / € 3

Ryoangi temple (Kyoto) $4.5 USD / € 3.8

Nijo Castle (Kyoto) $5.5 USD / € 4.5

Kiyomizudera (Kyoto) $3.6 USD / € 3

Private outdoor onsen, 1 hour (Urashima hotel, Kii Katsura) $20 USD / € 17

Himeji Castle & gardens $9.5 USD / € 8

Todaiji Temple (Nara) $5.5 USD / € 4.5

So… how much money should I bring per day?

We would recommend bringing $70 to 75 USD (€60-65) per person per day for food, temple entrances, subway tickets and gift expenses. Japan is a mostly cash society and a very safe country so don’t be afraid to have money in your luggage or purse.

What has really worked for us is paying for the lodging, transportation and tours during a period of 9 or 10 months prior to the trip. That way we don’t feel like we’re spending our entire salary at once.

GRAND TOTAL

For a 2 person, 15 day trip to Japan, the Grand Total is $6582 USD (€5525).

Start saving! You absolutely won’t regret it!

What are your budget tips for Japan? Comment below!