Prices In Japan Compared To Other Countries

Above, Shibuya 109 department store in the Shibuya shopping district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, it had been said that Japan is more expensive than the U.S. During my travels there (8 of them), I found that this isn't necessarily the case. I've found a lot of bargains over the years while traveling in Japan.

Live Japan has an article that tackles this by comparing prices for Big Macs, movie tickets, taxis, restaurant chains, medical services and other items with other countries.

They begin with:

Though it is often said that prices are generally high in Japan, some visitors from abroad are surprised by the cheapness of Japanese grocery stores and restaurant chains. In Japan, deflation continued for about 20 years after the bubble economy collapsed in 1998, and the rise of cheap restaurant chains and fast fashion brands grew. According to the competition of small profits and quick returns, it is said that some goods actually became cheaper. 

So are prices in Japan really that expensive? Let us now introduce some of the cheapest and most expensive things in Japan as compared to other countries.

To read more, go here.