Tokyo trip weekly budget guide 2026 — ¥45,000 for 3 days / ¥120,000 for 1 week / ¥220,000 for 2 weeks
⚡ 30-Second Answer: Tokyo 1-week trip = ¥130-260K/person (excl. flights). Budget ¥130K (hostel + 7-Eleven + Toei 1-day pass), midrange ¥180K (biz hotel + chains + Suica), comfort ¥260K (4★ + some upscale meals). Tokyo transit is cheap (Metro ¥170-330/segment), lodging 50-60% of budget.
Quick Reference Value Budget 1-week ¥130K Midrange ¥180K Comfort ¥260K Daily ¥18-38K Metro transit ¥170-330/segment Last verified June 2026
"Isn't Tokyo expensive?" is half right and half wrong. Tokyo lodging really does run +15-20% above the national average, but food and transport actually have more cheap options than the rest of the country. This article focuses on a Tokyo-only stay and sorts the budget by 3 days / 5 days / 1 week / 2 weeks, with area-by-area cost differences (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Roppongi, Asakusa) called out explicitly. Numbers assume you're running Wise / Revolut at -0.5 to -1% off mid-market.
For a nationwide budget (Tokyo + Kyoto + regional), see #188 Japan trip weekly budget.
TL;DR — at a glance (Tokyo only, airfare excluded)
| Length | Budget (backpacker) | Standard (business hotel) | Comfortable (city hotel + experiences) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days / 2 nights | ¥45,000 | ¥75,000 | ¥150,000 |
| 5 days / 4 nights | ¥75,000 | ¥125,000 | ¥250,000 |
| 1 week / 6 nights | ¥120,000 | ¥180,000 | ¥360,000 |
| 2 weeks / 13 nights | ¥220,000 | ¥350,000 | ¥720,000 |
Note: +15-20% vs the national average. The same budget gets you a tier higher in Osaka or Fukuoka.
1. Why Tokyo is "expensive" — the real reasons
Lodging runs +20% above the national average
| Area | Business hotel average |
|---|---|
| Tokyo 23 wards | ¥12,000-18,000 |
| Osaka (Umeda / Namba) | ¥9,000-14,000 |
| Kyoto city | ¥10,000-15,000 |
| Fukuoka (Hakata / Tenjin) | ¥8,000-12,000 |
→ At the same "standard business hotel" tier, Tokyo is ¥3,000-5,000 more per night. Over a week that's ¥20,000-30,000 extra.
Sights are spread across a wide area
Tokyo's 23 wards take an hour to cross by subway. Just staying in Shinjuku and visiting Asakusa is ¥600 round trip. Daily transit costs of ¥1,500-2,500 stack up.
But cheap food options are everywhere
Gyudon ¥500, standing soba ¥450, convenience store ¥600. Sub-¥1,000 meals are normal — that's the upside of a big city.
2. Tokyo budget category breakdown
Lodging (per night, Tokyo 23 wards)
| Class | Price range | Typical areas |
|---|---|---|
| Capsule / dorm | ¥3,000-5,000 | Ueno, Asakusa, Shinjuku west exit |
| Business hotel | ¥10,000-18,000 | Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Akabane |
| City hotel | ¥18,000-35,000 | Shibuya, Roppongi, Ginza |
| Luxury hotel | ¥45,000+ | Marunouchi, Otemachi, Ginza |
Even capsules run ¥500-1,500 more in Tokyo than in the regions — demand is always high.
Lodging cost by area
| Area | Standard business hotel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku | ¥12,000-16,000 | Transit hub, lively late into the night |
| Shibuya | ¥15,000-22,000 | Youth-oriented, +¥3,000 vs Shinjuku |
| Ginza / Yurakucho | ¥18,000-30,000 | Most expensive area, convenient for sightseeing |
| Roppongi | ¥16,000-25,000 | Nightlife oriented |
| Asakusa / Ueno | ¥8,000-13,000 | Cheapest in the 23 wards, close to sights |
| Ikebukuro / Akabane | ¥9,000-13,000 | Best value-for-money picks |
→ For savings, pick Asakusa, Ueno, or Ikebukuro. Still practical for sightseeing and food.
Food (3 meals a day, Tokyo)
| Class | Per day | Sample mix |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience store + gyudon | ¥1,500-2,500 | Breakfast convenience store ¥500 / lunch gyudon ¥600 / dinner teishoku ¥1,000 |
| Ramen + izakaya | ¥4,000-6,000 | Ramen ¥1,200 / teishoku ¥1,500 / izakaya ¥3,000 |
| Conveyor sushi + yakiniku | ¥7,000-12,000 | Cafe ¥1,500 / conveyor sushi ¥3,000 / yakiniku ¥6,000 |
| High-end sushi + teppanyaki | ¥20,000+ | Ginza counter sushi ¥15,000+ |
Food prices unique to Tokyo
| Genre | Price guide |
|---|---|
| Iekei ramen (1 bowl) | ¥900-1,200 |
| Conveyor sushi (10 plates per person) | ¥2,500-3,500 |
| Edomae sushi counter (omakase) | ¥10,000-30,000 |
| Izakaya (2 hr nomihodai) | ¥3,500-5,500 |
| Shinjuku Golden Gai (1 bar) | ¥2,000-4,000 |
| Maid cafe (Akihabara) | ¥3,000-5,000 |
Transport (per day)
| Range of activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| One area only (within Shibuya / Shinjuku ward) | ¥600-1,000 |
| Across the 23 wards (Shinjuku ↔ Asakusa, etc.) | ¥1,200-2,000 |
| + Yokohama / Odaiba / Narita Airport | ¥2,500-4,000 |
| Tokyo Subway 24h Pass | ¥800 (breaks even at 4 rides) |
| Tokyo Subway 72h Pass | ¥1,500 (worth it at 6+ rides over 3 days) |
| Taxi flag-down | ¥500 (1.096 km) |
| Narita → Shinjuku | ¥3,200 (N'EX) / ¥1,200 (bus) |
| Haneda → Shinjuku | ¥1,300 (limousine bus) / ¥500 (Keikyu) |
Sights and experiences (Tokyo-specific)
| Type | Per entry |
|---|---|
| Sensoji / Meiji Jingu | Free |
| Tokyo Skytree | ¥2,100-3,100 |
| Tokyo Tower (Main Deck) | ¥1,500 |
| teamLab Planets Toyosu | ¥3,800 |
| Tokyo Disney (1-day) | ¥7,900-10,900 |
| Ryogoku Kokugikan (sumo) | ¥3,800-15,000 |
| Kabukiza (single-act seat) | ¥1,000-2,000 |
| Sushizanmai Tsukiji (omakase) | ¥5,000-10,000 |
→ Pre-book tickets on Klook to skip the line and save 5-10%.
3. Scenarios by pattern (5 cases)
A. Solo backpacker, 3 days, budget (¥45,000)
- Lodging: Ueno capsule ¥3,500 x 2 nights = ¥7,000
- Food: convenience store + gyudon ¥2,000 x 3 days = ¥6,000
- Transport: Tokyo Subway 72h Pass ¥1,500 + airport ¥1,000 = ¥2,500
- Sights: Sensoji / Meiji Jingu (free) + Skytree ¥2,100 = ¥2,100
- 1 izakaya night ¥3,500 + ramen x 2 ¥2,400 = ¥5,900
- Buffer (souvenirs, cafes): ¥21,500
- Total: ¥45,000
B. Couple, 5 days, shopping-focused (¥250,000 for 2)
- Lodging: Shibuya city hotel ¥22,000 x 4 nights = ¥88,000
- Food: ¥7,000 x 2 people x 5 days = ¥70,000
- Transport: in-city ¥3,000 x 5 = ¥15,000
- Sights: teamLab ¥7,600 + Ginza cafes ¥6,000 + bars ¥15,000 = ¥28,600
- Shopping (Ginza, Harajuku): ¥40,000
- Buffer: ¥8,400
- Total: ¥250,000 (¥125,000 per person)
C. Family of 4 (2 adults + 2 kids), 1 week (¥450,000)
- Lodging: Ikebukuro family room ¥25,000 x 6 nights = ¥150,000
- Food: ¥4,000 x 4 people x 7 days = ¥112,000
- Transport: in-city + airport ¥15,000
- Sights: 1 day Disney ¥36,000 + Skytree ¥9,600 + teamLab ¥15,200 = ¥60,800
- Souvenirs: ¥40,000
- Buffer: ¥72,200
- Total: ¥450,000
→ With kids, see #163 Family money.
D. Business trip, 3 days (¥75,000)
- Lodging: Shinagawa business hotel ¥14,000 x 2 nights = ¥28,000
- Food: free hotel breakfast + lunch ¥1,500 + client dinner ¥10,000 = ¥34,500
- Transport: in-city ¥1,500 x 3 + Haneda ¥1,000 = ¥5,500
- Buffer: ¥7,000
- Total: ¥75,000
→ Wise transaction statements make expense reporting easy. #164 Business money.
E. Luxury, 1 week (¥360,000)
- Lodging: Ginza luxury ¥50,000 x 6 nights = ¥300,000 → over budget, cap at 4 nights
- Revised:
- Lodging: Ginza ¥50,000 x 4 nights + premium capsule ¥6,000 x 2 nights = ¥212,000
- Food: Ginza sushi ¥20,000 + teppanyaki ¥15,000 + other ¥30,000 = ¥65,000
- Transport: heavy taxi use ¥4,000 x 7 = ¥28,000
- Sights: experiences ¥15,000 + museums ¥5,000 = ¥20,000
- Buffer: ¥35,000
- Total: ¥360,000