Gina_07

We can either travel to Greece or Japan in July and we are torn between the two. We have never been to any of the two countries and would like to see both some day but at this point we would like to visit the less expensive of the two. We have travelled in Europe quite a lot and have a pretty good idea about how much Greece is going to cost us. Based on preliminary research of hotels, it seems that Japan is less expensive, or, at least, not more expensive. Airfare is about the same. But I don't really have a good idea about how much other things, such as food, sightseeing etc. will cost. I know that Japan is very expensive but how does it compare to Europe right now? Any information is greatly appreciated.

Tim_and_Liz

In our experience, Tokyo was less expensive than most places in Italy and Munich. We were just in Munich/Venice in Dec/Jan and in Tokyo earlier this week.

The only thing in Tokyo that was relatively expensive is accommodation, and you can look for deals.

Public transport, casual meals, newspapers, etc, all seemed much less expensive than on our recent trip. However, I don't know how it compares to Greece.

JamesA

Interesting.
I saw a CNN Travel program a while back where they were talking about costs and accommodation was the major one, but just a few tips made getting around and food not so bad, depends where you compare. It is years and years since we went to Europe but although 'prepared' for high costs things were just way over what we expected and never been back.

It is going to be interesting when the Japan experts come in on this and compare the costs with Europe.

JamesA

Pressed before finishing....

I am going to 'guess' that Japan will come out the cheaper ! Let's see !

janev

We live in what is termed "greater London" and we don't find Japan much different in price to Europe. I think sometimes you feel things are expensive when you travel purely because you wouldn't normally do that - for example when you are at home you don't normally eat out every day for say two weeks, a couple of times maybe. I think its possible to travel to most places and live cheaply. I think that both countries will be similar in price and that you should choose to go to whatever you would really like to do.

bmttokyo

A couple years ago we hear a Poll on TV about the most expensive cities to live in the world.

I think it was Letterman who said last year Tokyo was the most expensive city in the world. This year.............the most expensive city --------OSAKA !!!, next, Tokyo !!!

Just had dinner in a real nice but reasonably priced kaiten Totoyamichi <http://www.skylark.co.jp/totoyamichi....html>sushi shop for 4 of us. KT was off to work- bill was Y3900 & the kids had miso shiro & chawan mushi & drink bar. We are all full- I guess that is not bad. At least I don't have to cook & wash since we just got back from BKK last night.

Planning on a Europe trip in the distant future as KT's sister lives in a villa in Italy plus got an invite this week from a colleague who lives in the outskirts of Germany. I'll have to save quite a bit to get all 5 of us there !!!

Dukey

I was just in Japan for two weeks this past October (2007) and in many ways didn't find things to be a LOT more expensive than in some cities in the US. Food prices seemed to vary somewhat depending on what you eat and where you eat it.

Transportation, especially with a JR pass can be economical and the various bus tours we took seemed like good values.

BUT, the Dollar has DROPPED against the Yen since then.

Having been to Greece (wonderful) several times I would opt for Japan but by all means do not confine yourself to Tokyo itself or even Tokyo and Kyoto if you can at all get out into the countryside, too.

travelinwifey

Thanks Gina_07 for asking this question, we have been going back and forth wondering the same thing and where to go/costs. Any comments are appreciated here also

hawaiiantraveler

The 4 and 5 star hotels in the big cities of Japan can be expensive.....but not more so than Paris, London or Rome....and you get more for your money in Japan. Use your points if you have any for hotels in the big cities and Japan can be a very affordable.

Here is a website with affordable places to stay and some tips on how to save money in Japan

http://www.itcj.jp/


On the whole we find travel in Japan definitely less expensive than traveling in Europe. Travel in Europe at this time, with the strong Euro, is why I am spending a month in Japan next month.

I would be more worried about traveling to Japan in July....not the best time of year to be there but anytime in Japan is better than Greece(yes I have been there) imho.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2273.html

Aloha!

Gina_07

Thanks so much, everybody, for the information and the links.

mrwunrfl

Accommodations and transportation are going to be cheaper in Greece.

It was 14 years ago when my nephew and I got a dhomatia on Rhodes for $12. Today, maybe you'd spend $20 for the same place. You are just not going to find that in Japan.

On that same trip I looked at prices for the Hilton in Istanbul. The price there was comparable to other big cities - and not at all comparable to other available lodging. Instead of staying at an international chain we stayed at a local hotel.

Yes, you can spend $200 on a Hilton or Sheraton room in Japan or Paris or wherever. Those prices are going to be about the same. In Japan there is a good chance the room will be smaller.

In Japan, you will probably spend more on transportation, but you will get much more. The JR Pass is a great travel bargain.

The ferry boat from Piraeus was supposed to take something like 16 or 18 hours but took more like 24, IIRC. 246 nautical miles. Greece doesn't have the shinkansen.

The shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakata (Fukuoka) takes 5 hours 17 minutes for 728 miles.

Admissions/tickets might be higher in Japan, I don't know. But if the hotels you are considering are about the same, then it comes down to daily costs like food. If you want to have a nice bottle of wine with dinner then maybe you don't want to go to Japan, except for sake. If you want sushi, then don't go to Greece.

If you go to jnto.go.jp and search for "practcial travel guides". Take a look at the guides for the Japan locations you are interested in. I think they list admission prices.

W9London

Overall, I don't find Japan any more expensive than Greece, if you haven taken out the flight costs. Exact comparison on hotels are a bit hard, depending on room sizes (hotels in Japan may look cheaper, but it can be also small--you need to look up the actual room size) and types of accomodations (we only know self-catering in Greece vs hotels in Japan).

Foodwise, I didn't particularly find Japan more expensive, if you stay from top-rated restaurants. You can definitely eat reasonably well JPY1000-1500 for lunches, JPY3000 for dinners per person. Though I did find fresh fruits are more expensive in Japan.

Local transportation--not really an issue if you can use JR pass and Yokoso fare if necessary. Sightseeing--many temples in Kyoto charges small fees (JPY500-1000 at most) but there are enough things you can see without paying.

True US$ had weakened against JPY but it had weakened more vs Euro.

I agree with Hawaiiantraveller about the July bit... Is it going to be early July (ie before the end of rainy season) or late July (ie school holiday, hence peak season)? Both Japan and Greece would be hot.

logos999

I didn't find much difference in prices between Japan an Germany last September. Supermarkets downtown were small and rather expensive (about twice as much as at home
), however the bigger ones were just like at home, except for fruit and all milk products. Fish was extremely inexpensive. Hotel rooms I stayed in were cheap! and VERY clean, about the equivalent of 25€ in the north and 40€ in Tokyo (2 stops from main station). The most expensive lodging was in Kyoto. The rooms mainly frequented by
japanese buisiness travellers were generally very nice and cheap with few exceptions. Anyway FAR less than what I would have paid in the US for the same room and location.

Alltogether, I would have spent much more in Italy and a litte more in Germany.

Sue_xx_yy

Here is what the US gsa (government services administration) allows for maximum daily allowances for us government employees on travel in two different places within one European country (Germany) and in Japan. (It doesn't matter if your needs/preferences are above or below that of what is permitted for these employees, the point is that these allowances are based on standard criteria.)

First figure is lodging, second meals and incidental expenses, third the total of the first two: (amounts in US dollars as of March, 2008).


Germany: Frankfurt am Main: 277, 156: total $433
Germany: Oberammergau: 146, 97, total $243.

Japan: Okinawa Prefecture: 269, 105, total $374
Tokyo 192, 174, total $366
Yokohama 133, 129, total $242

Hokay, someone goes to Frankfurt and then to Yokohama, and says, boy, $433 is a lot more than $242!! Japan is cheap!

Another someone goes to Oberammergau and then to Tokyo and says, boy, $243 is nothin' compared to $366 - Japan is expensive!

And we haven't even gotten into variations between individuals.

See the problem?

hawaiiantraveler

Sue,

The problem with your numbers is that you are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to listing Oberammergau against the two of the largest cities in Japan.

Tokyo has over 12 million people while Yokohama checks in at 3.6 million.

Oberammergau checks in at a mere 5,300.

Do you have any comparable numbers for the smaller cities of Japan?

Aloha!

mrwunrfl

Yet another person goes from Oberammergau to Frankfurt and says Frankfurt is expensive.

A regular Frankfurt visitor goes to Oberammergau and finds it to be inexpensive.

They both conclude that big cities are expensive and smaller ones are inexpensive.

Sue_xx_yy

hawaiiantraveler/mrwunrfl

I concluded my initial post with a rhetorical question to the OP: "Do you see the problem?"

You have articulated the 'problem' I was trying to get the OP (and others) to see (and which I think they probably did see once I gave some specifics. No need for either of you to insult their intelligence (or their attempts to be helpful, as I'm sure all the respondents were trying to be). In other words, I think people got it for themselves, once a few figures made things clear.

But, now that you've done so, we might as well finish the job.

To ask a question such as "is [x country] more expensive than [y country]" one is not just comparing apples to oranges, one is asking people to compare entire mixed crates of fruit!!!! So, when people give answers like "Tokyo was less expensive than most places in Italy" - the respondent needs to be more specific about what they meant by 'most places in Italy' before the answer is meaningful. ('Most places' covers a pretty mixed bag (Venice or Orvieto? Rome or Agrigento?) So, for that matter, is Europe itself a pretty mixed bag, given that it is neither a city (like London) nor a country (like Japan).

hawaiiantraveler

Sue,

Thanks for the lectures and criticisms.

I will endeavor to take your endearing advise to heart.

I still would like you to answer my simple question though...

"Do you have any comparable numbers for the smaller cities of Japan?"

I am sorry if you misunderstood the question. I was just interested in some of your "stats" about the smaller Japanese cities, thats all.

I didn't mean for it to sound like I was doubting your stats. I am just interested in more info.

Aloha!

Sue_xx_yy

hawaiiantraveler

On second reading I find I may have 'heard' a tone to your first post and mrwunrfls' that neither of you intended ( a common problem on the Internet). If so, I can see how both of you would be taken aback by my last post. And even if not, i.e. even if I hadn't misjudged the tone of your initial posts, I regret getting annoyed because it serves no useful purpose; it won't help get things back on track.

So, without further ado, I will move on:

The information I provided is public and readily available. However, bear in mind that the source - the US government services administration - provides the information only for places where government employees regularly do business. Therefore, there are fewer smaller places covered, than larger (although there are a few.)

http://tinyurl.com/2bvwpz

(or go to gsa.gov).

mrwunrfl

Sue_xx_yy, those cost numbers are interesting and I am glad you posted them. Certainly someone & another someone might come to the conclusions that you listed. I didn't come to the same conclusion as those someones did.