Tokyo On a Budget: From a Broke College Student’s Perspective
October 19th, 2023. Tokyo, JP. At Hakusan House. Getting into the groove.
Traveling across the world on a student budget can be one of the most intimidating experiences when preparing for your study abroad. However, with proper planning and accommodations, spending a semester in Tokyo does not need to be as expensive as other abroad options. Through crafting your food experience, making transportation more efficient for your wallet, and carefully selecting souvenirs, studying abroad in Japan can start to feel a bit cheaper than one might imagine. These three strategies have changed my mindset throughout my study abroad experience on where to spend my money and where to save.
Tokyo being the largest city in the world would typically mean high rent and cost of living. When choosing my location to study abroad, Tokyo had the most expensive up-front cost compared to many established options throughout Europe. However, it is turning out to be the cheapest option for living expenses in comparison. This is due to the ease with which you can find $3.50 (¥500) ramen, $5.00 (¥750) gyoza, and $7.00 (¥1000) sushi while walking around the city. All of which is delicious, good quality, and authentic. While these great options are readily available along with a plethora of other good and cheap food, I have taken it a step further and began to cook at the international house that we have been staying at. Using a shared communal kitchen, I have been able to make food, like how I do at home, but with new ingredients unavailable in the United States. This option has both freed up more room in my budget for traveling during my semester abroad and allowed me to cook in ways that I would never have back in the States. While I have made it before, there is something in the air over here that has allowed me to increase my fried rice game. This cost-saving lifestyle of cooking most of your food at home does save money but does not mean that you should not experience the local food culture and specialties. This suggestion ideally just keeps you from falling back on McDonald’s for dinner when you are not sure what to eat or do not have the time.
Another big expenditure during study abroad can be transportation costs. Due to its extensive and relatively cheap train network that connects most neighborhoods within the greater Tokyo Metropolis as well as the countrywide by bullet train service, it is relatively easy to make your way around Japan. While my commute from the international house we are staying at to school is covered by our metro pass, charges can rack up quickly when galavanting around the city and countryside. This is one of the reasons I have begun walking around the city. While the cost savings are nice, it is also great exercise and, in my opinion, the best way to truly experience the city and all of its side streets and shopping outlets that you find along the way. This option might not be as enticing for a typical tourist due to time restraints, but living in the city provides you the ability to move a bit slower and take it all in at your own pace. Just remember, if you decide to take this advice and traverse the city on foot, make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes. Your feet will thank me later.
At the end of the day, living in another country for even just a few weeks you are likely to create quite a collection of souvenirs. Japan is not too different, if not worse due to the sheer amount of shopping available. While I am not a consumer back in the States as I live as a broke college student for most of the year, I do appreciate quality goods. The issue is that Japan is a place of high-quality stores, and a lot of them. You do need to be careful of tourist traps that have low-quality souvenirs located in places such as Asakusa and Kyoto. However, in many stores throughout the shopping districts of Tokyo, it is easy to find great souvenirs that are made in Japan at reasonable prices. Because of this, my checklist when souvenir shopping has required these things:
- Made in Japan, as Japanese design and craftsmanship is incredible.
- Can only be found in Japan, to avoid the souvenir recipient or yourself stumbling across it over in the United States one day.
- Usable every day, as every time the souvenir is seen, it will bring back memories of your time abroad.
Splurging on your trip should not be something to be ashamed of as this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, it can be a necessary evil and even allow you to appreciate the great things about a city such as Tokyo even more. While budgeting for study abroad can feel cumbersome and become a chore, at the end of the day it limits your unnecessary spending and can create more intentional purchasing habits.