We Kept Waiting for Tokyo to Get Expensive

How much does a local Tokyo day really cost? In this vlog, we spend a slow, neighborhood day in Tokyo and break down how far your money can go when you skip tourist traps.

We start with breakfast at Timeline Bakery, our favorite neighborhood spot, where we load up on cheese-filled bread, a blueberry scone, hot dog baguette, and an avocado burger — all for about the price of one fast-food meal back home.

From there, we wander our Nerima neighborhood, pass local cake shops and izakayas, explore Don Quijote, and end the day at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant where food and drinks arrive by mini bullet train. Sushi, ramen, fries, lemon sours, and even a surprise prize — all without blowing the budget.

If you’re curious what an ordinary, affordable Tokyo day looks like away from tourist areas — bakeries, bargain meals, walkable streets, and real local life — this episode shows exactly why Tokyo costs less than you think.