Japan
How much does it cost to visit Tokyo?
A hyper-connected megacity of temples and food. Frame your budget before you go.
- From
- €53/day
- vs Paris
- 72%
- Best month
- Oct
About
Tokyo in brief
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital and most populous city of Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is one of the most populous urban areas in the world. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo and parts of six neighboring prefectures, is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, with 41 million residents as of 2024.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
InstantTripCost estimate
Full 7-night budget breakdown
Per-person estimate including flights from Paris, split across the six expense categories.
per person · Comfort
| Category | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | €404 | €475 | €713 |
| Hotel | €180 | €510 | €1800 |
| Food | €315 | €630 | €1680 |
| Transport | €56 | €105 | €245 |
| Activities | €28 | €140 | €504 |
| Misc | €28 | €119 | €546 |
| 7-night total | €1011 | €1979 | €5488 |
Flight from Paris (annual median).
Why go
Why visit Tokyo
People come to Tokyo for the atmosphere, food, and heritage, but budget is the least-anticipated dimension of any trip: from €53 to €415 per day depending on travel style, the gap between budget and premium is easy to measure.
A standard 7-night trip averages €910 per person at mid-range comfort, flights from Paris included. Seasonality has a moderate impact on flights (max 29 % gap month to month), which simplifies planning: pick the dates that work, then optimize lodging and activities.
Real budget
What a trip to Tokyo actually costs
Let's break it down. Lodging: a hostel dorm or entry-level hotel runs around €30-50 per night, a well-rated 3-star sits between €82 and €150, and 4 to 5-star quickly tops €335. Food: a simple meal costs €12-18, dinner with a glass of wine €25-40.
Local transport: expect €1.50-2 per ticket and €6-8 for a day pass. Activities: main museums charge €10-25 admission, curated experiences (guided tours, workshops, day trips) range €30-80 depending on length and format.
On a 5-to-7-day trip, lodging accounts for roughly 35-45 % of total budget, food 15-20 %, flights 20-30 % depending on the booking window, with the remainder split between local transport, activities, and miscellaneous (visa, insurance, tipping, SIM card). A Tokyo trip that goes over budget is almost always because the hotel is oversized for the rest, rarely because of activities.
Seasonality
When to go and what it costs
Tokyo follows the standard European pattern: summer peak (June to August), winter trough (November to March). For an off-peak trip, November combines decent weather and still-reasonable prices.
Money saving
How to cut the Tokyo budget
Four levers cover most of the savings potential in Tokyo. First: pick a shoulder-season month over peak - on this lever alone, you recover up to 29 % of the flight price. Second: book the hotel 6 to 8 weeks ahead through a channel that aggregates market medians, rather than last-minute or a year out.
Third lever: shift your lodging zone 1-2 metro stops out of the hyper-center. In Tokyo, that simple shift often halves the hotel rate at equivalent comfort, with no real loss in accessibility. Fourth: build an activities mix where one standout experience per day is enough (guided tour, workshop, day trip) - stacking 3-4 paid activities per day inflates the activities budget without real added value.
Daily detail
Price overview for Tokyo
Three tiers to anchor you: what a budget traveler, a comfort traveler, and a premium traveler typically spend.
Budget
€83
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €30
- Meal
- €15
- Transit / day
- €8
Comfort
€190
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €85
- Meal
- €30
- Transit / day
- €15
Luxury
€575
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €300
- Meal
- €80
- Transit / day
- €35
When to go
Weather & best time to visit
Average temperatures and conditions by month in Tokyo.
Best month to visitOctober
Hand-picked hotels
Where to stay in Tokyo
Accommodation picks by price range.
Ours Inn Hankyu
Hotel, well rated (8.4/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
APA Hotel Sugamo Ekimae
Hotel, well rated (8/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
Richmond Hotel Premier Asakusa International
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
Dormy Hotel Onyado Nono Asakusa
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
Imperial Hotel Tokyo
5-star, rated excellent (9.2/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
Hotel Century Southern Tower
5-star, rated excellent (9/10), central neighborhood, well connected.
To see, to do
Things to do in Tokyo
Recommended activities and tours.
Senso-ji Temple
Sightseeing - very well rated (4.6/5). Free to visit.
Free
Meiji Shrine
Sightseeing - very well rated (4.5/5). Free to visit.
Free
Tsukiji Outer Market Tour
Food experience - must-do (4.9/5). Premium experience.
€45/ person
teamLab Borderless
Museum - must-do (4.8/5). Book ahead.
€25/ person
Shibuya Crossing
Sightseeing - very well rated (4.4/5). Free to visit.
Free
Mt. Fuji Day Trip
Nature - must-do (4.7/5). Premium experience.
€80/ person
Travel tips
Our tips to make the most of your budget in Tokyo.
- Buy a 7-day Japan Rail Pass if visiting other cities - saves hundreds
- Eat at conveyor belt sushi restaurants - €1 per plate, high quality
- Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson) have surprisingly delicious and cheap meals
- Visit shrines and temples early - most are free and less crowded before 9am
- Get a Suica/Pasmo IC card for easy transport - works on trains, buses, and vending machines
FAQ
FAQ - Tokyo
- How much should I budget for a trip to Tokyo?
- For a 7-day trip to Tokyo, expect roughly €485 - €2860 per person depending on your travel style, flights included. The budget profile (hostels, local food, public transit) sits at the lower end ; mid-range comfort sits in the middle ; luxury (premium hotel, fine dining) approaches the top.
- When is the best time to visit Tokyo?
- The best value is in October, with pleasant temperatures and usually cheaper flights than during peak tourist season. This window combines moderate crowds and lower airfare.
- How do I get around in Tokyo?
- Local transport (metro, bus, taxi) costs an average of €8 - €35 per day depending on your style. Public transit stays the cheapest option ; a day or weekly pass usually pays off after just two rides per day.
- How can I do Tokyo on a budget?
- For a cheap trip to Tokyo, target around €53 - €75 per day per person excluding flights: a hostel or budget hotel, meals at local eateries, public transit, and 1-2 free activities per day. Across a week, plan to land below the lower bound of the global range.
- What's the budget for a weekend in Tokyo?
- For a 3-day / 2-night weekend in Tokyo, plan around €375 - €685 per person, flights included. Booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead and flying out Thursday evening / back Sunday evening cuts the total by 10-20 % on average.
- Is Tokyo an expensive or affordable destination?
- With a cost index of 72 % versus Paris, Tokyo ranks among the moderately priced destinations. For a Western European traveler, that means a daily budget close to Paris, 28 % lower on average.
Similar budget
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Cost index close to Tokyo.
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