Tokyo Tips for the Thrifty

Posted on 12/08/2023 Last updated on 01/11/2024

It’s common knowledge that Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. As someone who was born and raised in a third-world country, it can be very intimidating to start a life in Tokyo. I’ll be giving these tips, so you won’t have to make the same mistakes I did!

Accomodations

If you just moved into Japan with a tight budget then you have very limited options on where to live. But it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable! Now, let’s cross out apartments and mansion out of the picture. Living in a fully furnished apartment/room in Tokyo would cost 90-120yen/month on average with gas, electricity, and water excluded! Not to mention the key money, deposit, and all the other fees you have to pay upon moving in!

My first tip is to find a sharehouse! The average cost for three months in a sharehouse is around 120,000-150,000 yen including utilities and most of the time, initial fee! No need to pay for key money too! Share houses also usually provide everything; washing machine, rice cooker, stove, cooking utensils, fridge, etc. Plus it’s easy to contact share house companies from overseas!

Transportation

Depending on your purpose of coming here, my second tip would be to look through google maps and the place(s) you would most probably frequent to. Having to ride the train on a daily basis can cut an amount from your budget. Now try to calculate the fare back and forth and see how much it would cost per month. Then get an IC card (pasmo/suica) at any station. Look for the ticket machine that has a Commuter Pass (Teiki). The teikiken basically offers a discount between your home station and the station where your work or school is. You pay in advance for a certain period of time, from a month, three months to six months, and you can use the pass an unlimited number of times between the two stations during that time! You can definitely save up to 10,000-15,000 yen a month with a teikiken!

Food/Groceries

Find the supermarket where most of the locals go! Gyoumu Super, OK, Niku No Hanamasa are the places you should go to for cheap groceries. The first time I went to GS, I slapped myself for going to other stores or konbinis while I had these around the station! Fruits, vegetables, frozen goods and spices options are so much cheaper at these grocery stores! And if you’re looking for cheap meats, then I also recommend going to Jump! It’s a meat shop where you can even buy kuroge wagyu at a very reasonable price.

Clothes

You’d be surprised to see how fashionable people are in Japan, especially in Tokyo! If you don’t want to be judged, they say try no to stand out. You see, this is tricky. When I first came here, I was amazed that everyone dresses modestly! They all look so well-dressed! They all stood out to me. So I guess when they say try not to stand out, it means try not to look unappealing. But worry not, I know just where to find the good clothes without having to spend too much!

As much as I want to gate-keep these areas, your options would be Koenji and Kichijouji! These places are my ultimate favorites in Tokyo! They have a lot of thrift stores just around the station and these areas are also less crowded than Shimokitazawa. Try to find a nearby Modeoff and 2nd Street too. You can buy clothes here for as low as 300-500 yen! I remember being asked multiple times at my language school about where I buy my clothes and I recommended these places. Thank me later! And keep in mind that Japan has four seasons so it’s best to shop in these places before the next season comes as the prices are usually cheaper.

Conclusion

I hope you find these tips helpful! And of course, my best and last tip would be to learn the language! I hope you enjoy life in Tokyo! I still have a lot of places I have yet to explore myself, but for now, these tips are what got me through my first year in Tokyo. Dear reader, if you’ve made it this far, 頑張ってください！

Photo Credits:

Top photo: りんちゃんさん on PhotoAC