Tokyo, Japan
In Tokyo, $10 buys eight or nine plates at a conveyor-belt sushi chain, a full bowl of tonkotsu ramen with gyoza, or a Tokyo Tower Main Deck ticket with change left over.
Index score 177 (rank 12 of 20) — the full basket totals $28.18, so $10 covers about 35.5% of it.
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The basket
| Item | Tokyo | NYC | vs NYC |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread (500g) | $1.64 | $4.61 | -64% |
| Milk (1L) | $1.53 | $1.44 | +6% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.17 | $5.90 | -63% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.57 | $2.10 | +22% |
| Bottled water (1.5L) | $0.83 | $2.50 | -67% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, store) | $1.77 | $3.21 | -45% |
| Cappuccino (cafe) | $3.45 | $6.09 | -43% |
| White rice (1kg) | $5.72 | $6.64 | -14% |
| Chicken breast (1kg) | $7.39 | $14.41 | -49% |
| Public transit, one-way ticket | $1.11 | $3.00 | -63% |
| Total | $28.18 | $49.90 |
What $10 actually buys here
- 8 to 9 plates of kaiten-zushi (conveyor-belt sushi)~$9.24
A full, varied sushi meal at a chain like Sushiro — a Tokyo budget-dining signature.
- Tonkotsu ramen and gyoza~$8.31
The classic no-frills lunch at a casual chain like Ichiran.
- Tokyo Tower Main Deck observation ticket~$7.39
An iconic city view for less than half of what Tokyo Skytree costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a basic grocery basket cost in Tokyo?
$28.18 for a basic grocery basket in Tokyo — about $22 cheaper than New York City's $49.90.
What can $10 buy in Tokyo?
Eight to nine plates of kaiten-zushi (conveyor-belt sushi) at a chain like Sushiro, or a full tonkotsu ramen and gyoza set at a casual chain like Ichiran.
Is Tokyo cheaper than New York for everyday expenses?
Yes — Tokyo's index score of 177 means a dollar goes roughly 1.8 times as far as in New York.
How much is a cappuccino in Tokyo?
$3.45 — close to half of what a cappuccino costs in New York City ($6.09).
How much is the Tokyo Tower observation deck?
A Main Deck ticket runs about $7.39 — an iconic city view for under $10, and for less than half of what Tokyo Skytree costs.
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Keep exploring
In Mumbai, $10 covers a round-trip ferry to Elephanta Island with cave-temple entry, a full street-food crawl of vada pav and pav bhaji, or a Bollywood movie with popcorn.
In New York City, $10 covers a halal-cart chicken-and-rice platter, three subway or bus rides, or a pay-what-you-wish museum ticket — the baseline this whole index is measured against.
In Mexico City, $10 buys about 29 rides on the famously cheap CDMX Metro, eight to ten tacos al pastor from a street taqueria, or general admission to a neighborhood lucha libre match.
Prices are researched estimates (July 2026), not live data — treat them as illustrative, not exact. See the methodology page for details.