Cheapest travel spots in Japan

As a travel lover, I'm always on the lookout for affordable ways to explore the country without breaking the bank...but honestly, that has been happening less of late with the cost of living increasing quite substantially. However, I came across a recent TimeOut Tokyo article covering a money-based travel study by the UK-based travel agency JR Pass.

The study looked at 18 cities and compared average prices for restaurants, hotels, rail passes, and attractions, using data from July 2024. Nara came out on top with a cost efficiency score of 9.1 out of 10.

I've visited Nara before, mainly for the deer and Todai-ji, but I never really thought of it as a budget destination. It turns out the city has some of the cheapest average dinner prices, and hotel stays averaging ¥11,600 per night.

From a trip to Nara several years ago. The antlers were a nearby Daiso purchase ;)

If you are curious, here are the top ten most cost-effective cities and their overall cost efficiency scores:

Nara (9.1/10)

Chiba (8.9/10) – Cheapest hotel and travel prices

Kumamoto (8.3/10) – Lowest rail travel costs

Okinawa (8.0/10)

Hiroshima (7.9/10)

Yokohama (7.9/10)

Kawasaki (7.7/10)

Nagoya (7.6/10)

Kochi (7.3/10)

Kitakyushu (7.3/10)

One of the perks of living in Japan long-term is being able to explore places that most tourists miss, and I think if you can do it without spending a small fortune, that's even better. Hopefully this list helps some City-Cost readers shape their travel plans for the rest of the year.

What about you? What's the most affordable place you've visited in Japan, and would you recommend it?