Japan is perceived as being an expensive country by many foreigners. Some things are expensive, while others are cheaper (depending on which country you are comparing prices to, obviously).
Recently, lifestyle website Madame RiRi carried an article, giving six examples of what foreigners in Japan found to be more expensive than back home.
1. Food
Although there are many restaurants offering reasonable prices due to the prolonged recession, many foreigners still say that food in Japan is expensive. The main gripe is that the servings are too small, so it costs more for people who eat a lot. Furthermore, some foreign people felt that international foods such as peanut butter,tacos, pizza, and so on are fairly expensive.
2. Education
Japanese education is certainly expensive. For example, many foreign people say that rucksacks (used by Japanese elementary schoolchildren), school fees , examination fees for entering university, and so on, are exorbitant. Japan also has cram schools, which are not very common abroad, and that adds to the cost of a child’s overall education.
3. Fruit
The land of 10,000-yen melons. Foreigners are puzzled as to why so many items of fruit are considered luxury gift items — 2,000 yen for a piece of gift-wrapped fruit in Japan that might cost $2-3 in the U.S. Pineapples and bananas are the only cheap fruit, it seems.
4. Movie tickets
The average price of a movie ticket in the U.S. is $7.95 (about 750 yen). In Japan, you’ll have to shell out at least 1,800 yen.
5. Alcohol
The price of beer in Japan is four times more expensive than in Germany and twice as expensive as in the U.S. Also, wine prices in Japan are four times more expensive than in France. There is saying that German people drink beer like water and French people drink wine like water because they are so cheap.
6. Skin care products
Some foreigners said that skin care products in Japan are three times more expensive than in the U.S. Generally speaking, Japanese people may spend a lot more money on beauty products than people in other countries.
The above items are just six examples. There are plenty more.
If you spotted something that strikes you as being too expensive in Japan, share your comments here.
Source: MADAME RiRi
