Which place is cheaper, Tokyo or Bagan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Bagan or Tokyo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bagan and Tokyo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Bagan or Tokyo?
Bagan
Located in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), Bagan is an ancient city best known as the home to the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas, and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Tokyo
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is by far the most populous city in the world with a staggering 37 million people. As a worldwide hub for technology and business, it hosts millions of visitors annually. But Tokyo is not just a place for business trips. With its incredible mixture of historical temples and shrines, remarkably beautiful parks, endless shopping malls, and genuinely wonderful people, Tokyo is a terrific place to visit and to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Japan, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan.
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Bagan Prices
Myanmar PricesTokyo Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBagan $34Tokyo $176
The average daily cost (per person) in Bagan is $34, while the average daily cost in Tokyo is $176. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Bagan and Tokyo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBagan $7.36Tokyo $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBagan $15Tokyo $148
Compare Hotels in Bagan and Tokyo
Looking for a hotel in Bagan or Tokyo? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Tokyo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bagan $3.57Tokyo $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bagan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bagan:
- From Bagan City To Mandalay Private Transfer: $180
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bagan Nyaung-U Airport (NYU): $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo
Also for Tokyo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- (HND) Haneda Airport Private Transfer to Central Tokyo: $96
- Accessible Haneda Airport Transfer with English-speaking Driver: $160
- Airport Shuttle Arrival Transfer : from Haneda Airport to Tokyo City: $61
- Airport Transfer: Haneda Airport and Tokyo 23 wards: $135
- Airport Transfer: Tokyo City to Narita Airport NRT by Luxury Van: $270
- Arrival Private Transfer: Haneda Airport HND to Tokyo in Sedan: $285
- Center Tokyo Private One Way Transfer To Haneda Airport: $109
- Center Tokyo Private One Way Transfer To Narita Airport (License): $134
- DECKS Tokyo Beach & Odaiba 1 Way Door to Door Shared Transfer: $51
- Departure Private Transfer: Tokyo to Haneda Airport HND in Sedan: $287
- Departure Transfer from Tokyo City to Haneda Airport HND by van: $180
- Departure Transfer: Tokyo to Narita Airport NRT by Sedan Car: $252
Is it cheaper to fly into Bagan or Tokyo?
Prices for flights to both Tokyo and Bagan change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBagan $10Tokyo $62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bagan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bagan.
- Romantic Sunset Dinner At Bagan Viewing Tower: $91
Typical Food Prices in Tokyo
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:
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Late Night Noodles$5.02
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Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack$5.02
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Meal at Airport$6.55
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo
For Tokyo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tokyo Cute Bento: Character Bento Art Cooking Class: $17
- Tokyo Cute Sushi : Kawaii Sushi Cooking Class!: $17
- Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market: Traditional Culture & Street Food Tour: $19
- Hide's Table A Unique Dinner Gathering Every Wednesday Night: $19
- Tokyo : Vintage, Music & Food Tour in Shimokitazawa with a Local: $22
- Asakusa: Senso-ji Sightseeing & Street Food Tour with Photos: $29
- Shibuya 7-Dishes vegetarian dinner at a Japanese izakaya: $29
- For First Time Visitor：Tsukiji Food Tour with Tokyo Travel Advice: $32
- Guided Tsukiji’s Local Food Tour: $32
- Ueno Private Walking Tour and Night Food Tour: $38
- Authentic Homestyle Japanese Cooking Class near Tokyo with Risa: $39
- Private Yanaka District Walking & Food Tour: $45
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bagan $57Tokyo $66
Tours and Activities in Bagan
Here are a few actual costs in Bagan for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Amazing Bagan, full day tour by car and guide: $90
- BAGAN TEMPLES FULL DAY GUIDED BY ELECTRIC BIKE ( Private Tour ): $64
- Bagan Antique Day Tour in Bagan: $86
- Bagan Cycling Tour ( Villages & Temples Cycling Explorer): $129
- Bagan Fullday Sightseeing by Car and Horse-cart: $184
- Bagan Horse Cart Ride Tour with Puppet Show: $170
- Bagan Instagram Photo Tour: $179
- Bagan and Mount Popa Private Tour (2 Days): $90
- Full Day Bagan Tour: $295
- Best Bagan One Day Tour With Tour Guide: $48
- Day Cruise Bagan to Mandalay: $31
- Faces of Bagan Private Photography Tour: $199
Tours and Activities in Tokyo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.
- Imperial Palace or Edo Castle Time Trip Learning Walking Tour: $3.19
- Experience Japan’s Beloved Morning Exercise – Radio Taiso”!: $5.11
- Tokyo Anime and Pop Culture Private Van Tour with Pick Up: $5.67
- Tokyo Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Tsukiji Market Early Morning Tour: $6.39
- Cross Roppongi Karaoke Nightclub Ticket (For Foreign): $6.76
- Tokyo Walking Tour 2h15 and 19 audio reviews: $6.80
- Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Admission Ticket + Special Exhibition (when being held): $7.65
- Tokyo Castle, Imperial Palace Gardens, Shogun History Tour: $7.67
- TOKYO Audio Guide Tour in The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace: $7.67
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Tokyo: $8.21
- Tokyo Metro Subway Ticket: $8.85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBagan -Tokyo $32
Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:
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Sake$3.77
Sample the Local Flavors in Tokyo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tokyo:
- Tokyo Pub Crawl: Unique Japanese Drinks in Shimokitazawa: $34
- 3 Hours Pub Crawl Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $35
- Tokyo Pub Crawl: Unique Japanese Drinks in Shimokitazawa: $35
- Sake Brewery Tour Igarashi Shuzo Hanno: $41
- 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Nightlife Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $46
- Tokyo Sake Terroir Journey – Guided by Sake Brewery Professional: $90
- Mt. Fuji & Hakushu Distillery Whisky Museum Bus Tour from Tokyo: $90
- Tokyo Shinjuku Gay Bar Crawl with Drinks: $90
- Shibuya Bar Crawl Tour -3 Drinks & Local Foods-: $102
- Tokyo's Oldest Sake Brewery and jump into historic town: $109
- Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo: $121
- Sake Brewery and Spiritual Nature Tour in Okutama Tokyo: $131
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bagan and Tokyo, we can see that Tokyo is more expensive. And not only is Bagan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bagan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bagan and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Tokyo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tokyo than you might in Bagan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bagan Expensive? and Is Tokyo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bagan or Tokyo?
Tokyo has a larger population, and is about 27790 times larger than the population of Bagan. When comparing the sizes of Bagan and Tokyo, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.