Is Tokyo Expensive?

Here's a chicken sandwich, vegetable salad, and a pint of 100% grapefruit juice from 7-11. So how much did this fresh and tasty meal cost? $15? $20? $40? Actually, it cost just a little over $4. Which leads me to conclude provisionally that Tokyo isn't terribly expensive, contrary to popular belief ("most expensive city in the world") — or at least that high costs are mostly avoidable.

That said, there are wide variations in price, and some items are much more expensive here than in the United States. (Some are less, notably lunch items.) For example, dine at a fancy hotel or restaurant and the sky's the limit, especially if you see lots of company men on expense accounts. Here's a list of some prices I've seen (in yen):

Subway (one-way, short trip with transfer, no commuter pass): 160
TGI Friday's draft beer (medium size, about 12 ounces): 650
Apple (one) from a grocery store: 98
Cup of tea at a coffee shop: 180
Potato patty sandwich at a coffee shop: 230
Curried rice entree at IBM cafeteria: 250
Bag of unknown salad greens (looked like watercress, tasted like clover, about 8 ounces): 100
80s and 90s music CDs (extensive sale rack) from Book Off: 2 for 500
Japanese books (all) at Book Off: 105
Grilled chicken skewers over rice at TGI Friday's: 865
Aquafresh toothpaste (regular size, about 6 ounces): 148
Whole grain (brown) rice (5 kilos) from grocery store: 1270
Bag of muesli (standard size) from grocery store: 900
Multi-course lunch at Indian restaurant: 1000

Not too bad, really. Fresh fruits and vegetables are indeed expensive, at least when purchased from a grocery store. In fact, most grocery store items seem expensive. On the other hand, dining out can be extremely affordable, especially if you like noodle bowls and rice dishes. Note that there is no tipping in Japan, and the posted prices include all taxes.

Housing is reportedly quite expensive, although fortunately I will never see that bill. Oddly enough, hotels can be quite affordable. Cars are expensive to purchase and operate, but you don't need them. My guess is that most people come out ahead with subways and trains versus paying even U.S. rates for car loans, insurance, and gasoline. Clothing seems reasonable, although there are plenty of ultra high-end brands if you want expensive clothes.