How Much Does An Average Meal Cost In Tokyo?


how much does an average meal cost in tokyo

As the city with the most Michelin star restaurants in the world, Tokyo is seen to be ‘the place to go to’ for experiencing new food. With various street food stalls, 5 star restaurants and crazy themed cafes; no city remotely comes close to what Tokyo has to offer. It is not only the restaurants that have a wide variety though. There are hundreds of unique dishes that can be experienced in the Japanese capital. However, that being said, does this all come with a high price tag?

How much on average does a meal cost in Tokyo? The average meal in Tokyo will cost you around ¥2447($18.10). This number is based on the average price of meals within 7 of Tokyo’s most famous food-eating districts. The cost of meals can range and vary depending on the type of restaurant or dish itself. Some meals can be as high as ¥20,000 or as low as  ¥200.

With this being said, this is just an average cost based on the entire city, and, if you know anything about Tokyo; you will know it is the biggest city in the world. For most people visiting Tokyo, they may not want to visit certain parts of the city, therefore making some of the meal cost data invalid for them.

To overcome this, I have researched the average meal costs for 7 of Tokyo’s famous districts so that each person reading this can really get a grasp of how much a meal will cost them. I have even calculated the average price for some of the most famous dishes within the city to give you an even better idea based on what you fancy eating!

How Much Does A Meal Cost In Shinjuku?

The average cost of a meal in Shinjuku is around ¥4655.

With an estimated number of over 6000 restaurants in Shinjuku, it is surprising that the average price for a meal is so high compared to other districts in the city. However,. It is important to note that there are many street food vendors in Shinjuku where you can easily grab a meal for a much smaller price sum than mentioned here. Due to their lack of online presence, it has been difficult to include street food vendors prices into the average meal cost number.

Kabukicho is one of the most famous street food areas in all of Tokyo, and it is located right here in Shinjuku. 

Click here to check out my article on ‘How Safe Is Kabukicho’ 

But, when it comes to restaurants, Shinjuku is definitely not lacking in variety. From a robot restaurant to high-quality fine dining shabu-shabu restaurants; you are truly spoiled for choice in Shinjuku. However, all of this choice is one of the reasons why Shinjuku is so popular with tourists, therefore making the average price of dining much higher than most places in the city. 

Click here to check out 7 reasons why you should visit Shinjuku!

Take a look below at some of the data I collected for the restaurants within Shinjuku for a better idea. 

Restaurant name Restaurant Type Meal Name Meal Price
Mugi No Oto Japanese Bar Tapas ¥900
Pasta ¥1,100
Salad ¥1,000
French Fries ¥1,500
Any dessert ¥500
Nabezo Shinjuku 3 Chrome Shabu Shabu/Hotpot Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu ¥4,900
Regular Beef Shabu Shabu ¥2,900
Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki ¥4,900
Regular Beef Sukiyaki ¥2,900
Kimchi Wagyu ¥4,900
Rokkasen Barbecue + Shabu Shabu Shabu Shabu(All you can eat + dessert included) ¥8,250
Yuki (All you can eat + dessert included) ¥8,250
Tsuki (All you can eat + dessert included) ¥12,650
Kobe (All you can eat + dessert included) ¥38,500
Matsusaka (All you can eat + dessert included) ¥28,600
Sushizanmai Higashi Sushi Sushizanmai Deluxe (Miso soup Included) ¥3,410
Magurozonmai Special (miso soup included) ¥3,410
Kokoro-iki assortment ¥2,310
Deluxe tuna-don ¥3,080
5-piece mixed assortment ¥1,298
Sarabeth’s Lumine Shinjuku American style cafe Burger and fries ¥1,980
Mac and cheese ¥940
Chicken and caesar salad ¥1,490
Seafood salad ¥1,680
Smoked salmon sandwich ¥1,930
Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho Ramen/Tsukemen Shrimp tsukemen ¥880
Shrimp tsukemen with meat ¥1,080
Shrimp miso tsukemen with meat ¥1,150
Shrimp tomato tsukemen ¥950
Shrimp tomato tsukemen with meat ¥1,150
Shinpachi Shokudo Seafood Atka mackerel set meal ¥1,080
Grilled silver salmon salt set meal ¥790
Tronicin set meal ¥820
Mackerel culture dried set meal ¥820
Salmon grilled salt set meal ¥950
Tim Ho Wan Shinjuku Southern Terrace Dim Sum Vegetable variety dumplings ¥580
shrimp and gyoza dumplings ¥680
3 BBQ Pork buns ¥680
turnip cake ¥580
ginger chicken and rice ¥680
Chargrilled Kobe Beef Ikuta Kobe beef grill tenderloin ¥5,980
sirloin ¥5,480
seared shabu shabu ¥2,480
Misuji ¥4,000
lamb tenderloin ¥4,000
Ebisu Toraji Barbecue Wagyu sirloin ¥6,000
Premium Wagyu assortment ¥8,500
Premium beef tongue ¥3,600
Pork kalbi ¥900
assortment of seafood ¥4,500
Kinka sushi bar Sushi Sashimi platter ¥2,100
whole lobster sashimi ¥4,500
Omakase Sushi ¥2,090
Medium fatty tuna ¥1,420
salmon sashimi salad ¥1,100
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Steakhouse steak for two ¥22,000
seafood platter for two ¥8,580
rib eye steak ¥14,300
prime filet mignon ¥16,720
New york sirloin ¥11,000
Shinjuku Nadaman Hinkan Sushi + steakhouse Kaiseki Hana ¥10,406
Yorokobi Course ¥10,890
Sushi tsuzumi ¥7,018
Tempura Mai ¥7,018
fillet steak course ¥9,680
JS Burgers Cafe American cafe J.S Burger ¥1,480
Standard burger ¥1,770
red hot chicken burger ¥1,370
Maple butter blt sandwich ¥1,170
chilli cheese dog ¥1,170
Ristorante Machiavegli Italian Spaghetti Carbonara with pancetta ¥1,650
Pappardelle Wagyu beef with wine sauce ¥2,150
Charcoal-grilled Wagyu sirloin with wine vinegar sauce ¥3,550
charcoal grilled fish ¥2,550
Spaghetti “Peperoncino” ¥1,850

Please bare in mind this is only an average price calculated over a tiny percentage of restaurants and meals in Shinjuku

As you can see, the meals provided in restaurants in Shinjuku CAN BE expensive. Shinjuku is home to 5 Michelin star restaurants, and also many highly rated fine dining establishments. Due to this, the price for a meal is alway going to be higher than any average area with average restaurants. However, depending on your financial situation, I would highly recommend trying to eat out in Shinjuku. This is due to the fact that despite the high costs, the experiences are simply unmatchable and you will not find restaurants like these anywhere else in the world.

How Much Does A Meal Cost In Akihabara & Nihonbashi?

The average cost of a meal in Akihabara & Nihonbashi is around ¥1280.

Despite being known as the ‘entertainment district’ of Tokyo, Akihabara also has an amazing presence in the city for its food also. As a place well known for its hub of anime-themed activities and establishments, finding a cafe with Gundam robots inside is almost the norm

Check out this article about Akihabara being known as ‘Anime Street’

However, when it comes to food, you want high-quality meals with fresh ingredients. It is all well and good having fancy and crazy-themed restaurants, but if the food doesn’t match it, then it was all done for nothing. Thankfully, Akihabara, much like the rest of Tokyo, doesn’t disappoint with the quality of its food. 

Nihonbashi is very similar in terms of the meals that are prepared. However, take away the food, and these districts could not be any more different. This is because Nihonbashi is Tokyo’s main business district, with lots of suits and ties, fancy cars and a lot of rushing people. 

I put these two districts in the same area of my research due to the short distance between them. 

Take a look below at some of the data I collected for meal prices in Akihabara and Nihonbashi. 

Restaurant name Restaurant Type Meal Name Meal Price
Akatsuka Izakaya Yosenabe(2 servings) ¥1,800
assorted sashimi ¥2,250
stewed chicken ¥800
flatfish ¥900
sawara saikyo yaki ¥900
Yukari Japanese pancakes Umami okonomiyaki ¥1,500
grilled beef tongue ¥1,000
honmamon tonpeiyaki ¥580
raijin gyoza (5 pcs) ¥450
okonomiyaki shrimp, cattlefish and pig ¥1,380
Kikanbo Ramen Ajitama karashibi miso ramen ¥1,000
Moyashi karashibi miso ramen ¥1,000
Tokusei karashibi miso tsukemen ¥1,220
niku-niku miso tsukemen ¥1,530
Tokusei Miso ramen ¥1,200
Tempura hisago Japanese cusine deep fried conger eel ¥1,000
Japanese set meal ¥3,360
oysters ¥670
shrimp bowl ¥2,750
tempura set meal ¥2,680
Shimonya Akihabara Japanese cuisine yakiton skewer ¥100
tenderloin ¥350
grilled beef tongue ¥350
tochio oil grill ¥400
grilled rice balls ¥250
Tankiyo barbecue King trumpet ¥550
skirt steak ¥495
namul ¥550
uemino miso ¥1,320
leek salt ribs ¥1,320
cafe and kitchen orientaru indiand/thai/italian curry hotpot ¥2,500
thai suki ¥2,500
tom yum goong ramen ¥990
shrimp and broccoli stir fry ¥1,188
curry set ¥1,595
Kin-no Dashi izakaya assorted sashimi ¥1,848
salted and grilled fish head ¥748
crab cream croquette ¥638
abalone sushi ¥549
fried chicken wings ¥528
sudacho shokudo steakhouse/brugers pork cutlet ¥1,850
rice omelette ¥1,850
steak ¥2,380
ajillo ¥680
cheese fondue ¥2,280
Bistro teriyaki izakaya wagyu beef steak ¥2,728
charcoal grilled meat ¥858
beef cutlet ¥1,078
ajillo ¥638
tomato and pepper pasta ¥858
pizzeria and bar nohga pizzeria mushroom ajillo ¥748
pasta of the day ¥1,760
margherita ¥1,848
pizza funghi ¥1,848
grilled duck ¥3,300
Jack37Burger burger balinese burger ¥1,100
balinese cheese burger ¥1,250
balinese avocado burger ¥1,350
mushroom cream soup ¥500
balinese double cheeseburger ¥1,850
shitamachi bar nagaokaya izakaya squid ink paella ¥3,000
iberian pig paella ¥3,200
lamb and mashed potatoes ¥580
roasted deer ¥1,180
lamb tenderloin tataki ¥980
Date no Kura Kayabacho cafe charoal grilled beef tongue ¥2,079
beef tongue stew ¥1,079
raw oysters ¥429
oyster fry with tartare sauce ¥429
tataki beef tongue ¥858
flax nihonbashi cafe roast beef ¥1,320
fried squid ¥880
pasta ¥957
crab cream croquette ¥990
pizza ¥561

Please bare in mind this is only an average price calculated over a tiny percentage of restaurants and meals in Akihabara and Nihonbashi

How Much Does A Meal Cost In Ginza?

The average cost of a meal in Ginza is around ¥3359.

Ginza stands as the top high-end shopping district in Tokyo. It is known to be very expensive, with an estimated one square meter of land costing over ¥10 million! That is around $72,000 (just to put it into perspective). 

This is all pretty ironic considering that the district was built over a swamp, right? But, gone are the days of mossy trees and water lands. Now, Ginza is home to many flagship stores such as Gucci, Chanel, Dior and Luis Vuitton; just to name a few. However, Ginza is also extremely popular for the exquisite food that is available. From a Michelin star Kaiseki restaurant to one of the world’s most famous fish markets (Tsukiji Market).

Take a look below at some of the data I collected for meal prices in Ginza. 

Restaurant name Restaurant Type Meal Name Meal Price
Ishida Ginzahonten Steak house/seafood Spiny lobster teppanyaki ¥15,400
wagyu beef sirloin ¥15,840
Chateaubriand steak ¥21,120
tenderloin steak ¥14,520
caviar ¥4,400
Sandaime Bunji Ginzaten Oden/seafood seared pickled mackerel ¥1,078
grilled beef skewers ¥1,573
tuna ¥1,980
japanese omelette ¥770
yakitori skewers ¥1,023
Tofuro Ginzaitchometen Izakaya assorted sashimi ¥2,156
grilled mackerel ¥2,068
grilled chicken with saikyo miso ¥792
diced steak ¥1,188
fried chicken ¥1,122
Sumibiyakiniku Ginzaten Yakiniku/Izakaya octopus sashimi ¥2,728
tteobokki ¥1,408
tilefish ¥2,948
samgyeopsal ¥1,628
japchae ¥1,078
Sansui Ginzaten Yakiniku Beef fillet ¥6,600
beef tongue ¥4,400
zabuton ¥4,400
beef loin ¥1,540
harami ¥2,530
Favori Japanese pub wine steamed mussels ¥2,700
beer-braised veal ¥1,800
cheese plate ¥1,500
frites ¥800
shrimps in garlic oil ¥900
Kissho Ginzainzu Izakaya crispy deep fried chicken ¥858
shrimp and crab spring roll ¥968
shrimp gyoza dumpling ¥638
seafood course ¥4,180
pecking duck course ¥4,180
Kamonka Ginzaten Chinese chinese salad ¥2,035
bang bang chicken ¥1,980
sharkfin soup with crab ¥2,640
sharkfin stew ¥9,460
peking duck ¥14,300
Mergellina Italian roast lamb ¥2,808
margherita pizza ¥1,404
Gnocchi ¥1,512
wagyu beef steak ¥3,800
Pasta with Manila clams ¥1,512
Nikutatsu Ginzaten Yakiniku wagyu beef skirt steak ¥2,970
beef liver ¥990
premium short ribs ¥1,870
beef heart ¥825
beef tongue ¥2,970
Vidrio Ginza Spanish/Italian bar Seafood paella ¥3,300
grilled pork ¥2,035
Jamon iberico ¥2,640
ajillo ¥1,155
paella ¥5,500
Racler French cuisine Cheese fondue ¥1,320
Assorted cheese ¥2,090
cheese omelet ¥968
cheese hamburger steak ¥1,650
cheese risotto ¥1,980
ZION Ginzaten Spanish/Italian Chicken ajillo ¥715
pork blade shoulder ¥1,914
roast chicken ¥1,705
pasta with blue crab ¥2,211
beef tendon stew ¥990
Jim Thompson’s Thai Curry paw pia sot ¥1,056
spring roll ¥968
thick japanese omelet ¥880
fried chicken ¥990
deep fried whitefish ¥1,485
Koma Yakiniku beef fillet ¥19,800
beef tongue ¥3,080
wagyu beef chuck flap ¥5,280
gomtang soup ¥1,760
wagyu beef rump ¥2,530

Please bare in mind this is only an average price calculated over a tiny percentage of restaurants and meals in Ginza

How Much Does A Meal Cost In Odaiba & Minato City?

The average meal cost in the areas of Odaiba and Minato City is approximately ¥1334.

Minato City is almost like London’s Canary Wharf. Its prime function is business, business and more business. With an office building here, and an office building there, Minato City is one of the places people who live in Tokyo want to work at.

However, it is important to remember that this is Tokyo we are talking about here; and even one of Tokyo’s most sensible business districts. 

Well…it’s really not that sensible at all!

For example, you can tour the district in a go-kartyep; a go-kart. Now, this is a pretty extreme example, and Minato City despite it’s Tokyo stylised quirks, still manages to remain very tasteful.

Minato City is home to the Tokyo Tower, the Mori Art MuseumRainbow bridge and so much more. It is also home to Odaiba, a mini district just across the Rainbow Bridge from Minato City.

Odaiba is an artificial island in Tokyo that is known for its high-tech and modern architecture. Much like Minato City, Odaiba has many attractions and things for people to do.

Okay, so, food may not be the main attraction for these 2 districts. However, that’s not to say the food is bad, by any means. And, in fact, it has the cheapest average meal prices compared to any other district based on my research.

Take a look below at some of the data I collected for meal prices in Odaiba & Minato City. 

Restaurant name Restaurant Type Meal Name Meal Price
Yakiniku-to Yakei Daigo Yakiniku prime salted tongue ¥1,200
korean cuisine course ¥4,200
Kalbi ¥800
prime kalbi ¥1,500
prime horumon ¥700
Haibana Akuashiteiodaiba Izakaya chicken wings gyoza ¥360
pork rice bowl ¥1,480
thick cut pork steak ¥1,680
soki stew ¥830
pig trotters ¥680
Uotami Kachidokiekmaeten Izakaya Assorted sashimi (7 kinds) ¥1,637
assorted sashimi (5 kinds) ¥1,417
nigri sushi ¥438
grilled fish skewer ¥867
assorted grilled skewer ¥768
Wan Odaiba Izakaya naan pizza ¥748
cheese pajeon ¥528
paw pia sot ¥616
gyoza ¥528
fried chicken ¥649
Tokyo Kushiya Izakaya/Japanese skewers Pork sukiyaki ¥2,596
grilled chicken thigh skewer ¥209
fried shrimp skewer ¥259
fried scallop skewer ¥259
dried chicken tenderloin ¥506
Wara wara Izakaya/Japanese skewers fried chicken ¥648
assorted grilled skewers ¥833
assorted sashimi ¥1,594
offal hotpot ¥1,098
other stir fried food ¥1,089
KollaBo Yakiniku/izakaya assorted rare cuts of beef ¥4,950
gejang ¥3,080
Yangnyeom chicken ¥1,408
cheese dak galbi ¥1,738
seafood hotpot ¥1,848
Burari-Ya Izakaya Assorted grilled chicken skewers ¥2,277
assorted sashimi ¥2,145
bacon and spinach salad ¥715
caesar salad ¥715
seared beef tongue ¥770
Fanacyuu Ariaketen Izakaya Assorted skewers ¥3,740
Eel and rice ¥4,074
grilled eel ¥3,565
fried takoyaki ¥612
chopped octopus ¥990
To the herbs Italian carbonara ¥1,298
seafood pescatore ¥1,628
cream pasta ¥1,408
tagliatelle ¥1,518
shrimp ajillo ¥680
Washoku En Shiodome Izakaya Raw tuna and avocado ¥900
shabu-shabu with yuba tofu skin ¥850
shrimp cake ¥1,050
seasonal tempura ¥1,200
stone-cooked black beef ribs ¥2,500
Butadaigaku Japanese Large pork bowl ¥950
medium pork bowl ¥750
pork bowl small ¥550
miso soup ¥70
fried garlic ¥120
Pizzeria De Peppe Napolistaca Pizza/Italian margherita pizza ¥1,600
Napoletana ¥1,650
Linguine allo scoglio ¥3,200
vesuvio ¥2,500
Peppe Miso ¥1,300
Blue table odaiba Japanese Shrimp and tuna plum dressing salad ¥1,000
baked chorizo and tomato sauce ¥850
salmon butter foil ¥1,200
mushroom butter foil ¥800
Goya chanpuru ¥800
Kua Aina American chunky cheese cheddar burger meal ¥1,700
mozzarella bacon burger meal ¥1,600
cheese burger meal ¥1,280
pastrami sandwich ¥1,340
crispy chicken strips ¥380

Please bare in mind this is only an average price calculated over a tiny percentage of restaurants and meals in Minato City & Odaiba

How Much Does A Meal Cost In Shinagawa?

The average meal cost in the area of Shinagawa is approximately ¥1606.

Shinagawa, much like Minato City, is heavily business focused. With gigantic office skyscrapers, busy streets full of workers and one of the city’s biggest train stations; this district means business.

In terms of food that is available, Shinagawa is extremely popular for its high-quality and delicious ramen. If noodles aren’t your thing, don’t worry; because the district also provides exquisite donburi dishes from many places within the streets. 

Of course there are other famous Japanese dishes available in Shinagawa, however, I would strongly recommend trying either of these two meals out when visiting the district.

Take a look below at some of the data I collected for meal prices in Shinagawa. 

Restaurant name Restaurant Type Meal Name Meal Price
Outback Shinagawa American rump steak ¥2,840
beef fillet steak ¥3,350
sirloin steak ¥3,800
barbecue ribs ¥2,580
lamb chops ¥3,780
Shinagawabatake Shabu-shabu sukiyaki ¥3,828
shabu-shabu ¥5,478
pork shabu-shabu ¥2,728
sashimi ¥1,580
buckwheat noodles ¥605
Ikkyu Izakaya seared wagyu beef sirloin ¥4,400
wagyu beef nigiri sushi ¥1,980
pork cutlet ¥2,200
beef tendon ¥880
tuna steak ¥1,650
Mikyouya Izakaya chilled tofu ¥330
edamame beans ¥440
stir fry ¥605
minced meat cutlet ¥693
fried chicken ¥528
Torikaku Shinagawa Izakaya Assorted grilled skewers (5 pcs) ¥1,298
meatballs with egg yolk ¥539
chicken tempura ¥429
fried chicken wings ¥440
chicken sukiyaki ¥1,078
Jackpot Shinagawa Italian/seafood garlic shrimp ¥935
tomato sauce pasta ¥1,650
ajillo ¥800
lamb chops ¥1,188
margherita pizza ¥1,485
Tofuro Shinagawa Izakaya grilled chicken with miso ¥792
diced steak ¥1,188
tofu ¥594
Japanese omelette ¥715
fried chicken (12 pcs) ¥1,122
GyoroGyoro Shinagawa Izakaya Tuna sashimi ¥935
tofu ¥748
ray fin ¥682
crab cream croquette ¥418
caesar salad ¥1,078
Salma Tikka Biryani Indian Chicken biryani ¥2,060
mutton biryani ¥2,060
shrimp biryani ¥2,470
tandoori chicken ¥1,855
Full course ¥4,015
Eikarou Honten Cantonese/Beijing stir fried shrimp ¥1,320
spicy tofu and ground meat ¥990
gyoza ¥550
simmered shark fin ¥4,378
stir fried beef with oyster sauce ¥1,100
Xing Li Shinagawa Chinese Shanghai traditional steamed buns ¥484
Noodles with red pepper ¥1,265
Fresh lobster with Chilli sauce ¥5,060
Stir fried beef loin ¥2,717
fried rice with shark fin and crab ¥1,540
Givet Izakaya rump steak ¥2,800
roast chicken ¥1,080
roast duck ¥1,728
Pasta dishes ¥1,296
Marinated octopus ¥864
Masu-Kame Shinagawa Izakaya Japanese omelette ¥495
Stir fry ¥748
Grilled atka mackerel ¥1,078
simmered beef tendon ¥638
grilled manila clams ¥550
Rokkon Yakiniku wagyu beef steak ¥580
sashimi ¥980
fried chicken ¥880
grilled beef tongue ¥1,280
assorted sashimi ¥2,178
Pizzeria Bakka M’unica Pizzeria Margherita pizza ¥2,100
egg and sausage ¥1,800
Mushroom pizza ¥1,700
fried eggplant pizza ¥1,700
Romana pizza ¥1,700

Please bare in mind this is only an average price calculated over a tiny percentage of restaurants and meals in Shinjuku

Where Is The Cheapest Area To Eat In Tokyo?

As you can see from the data I collected, Akihabara & Nihonbashi have the cheapest average meal prices in Tokyo. Now, once again; it is important to bare in mind that I only compared 7 of Tokyo’s most famous districts. I say this because there are 23 districts in total, so I have only covered a fraction.

However, based on areas that tourists visit the most, this data is very accurate. Akihabara and Nihobashi provide incredibly unique eating experiences matched with delicious foods, whether its traditional Japanese, Chinese or Italian. 

Summary

Tokyo is one of the world’s leading cities for experiencing unique foods, and for very good reason. Much like every other city though, the prices can vary based on what dish, area or restaurant you eat at. While there are some crazy expensive dishes available; on the same street no more than 20 metres away, you could find a Michelin star ramen shop that will only cost you around ¥1000 ($10 USD). 

Defining whether a certain district within Tokyo is cheap or not to eat at is difficult, due to the sheer variety in prices and different restaurants available. However, based solely on the data; it shows that Akihabara and Nihonbashi are the cheapest areas to eat at in Tokyo. 

So, when you visit the entertainment district of Tokyo, you can be assured you will get a lovely meal for the cheapest prices!

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