A Travel Price Comparison for Japan Nara vs. Sado for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Asia / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Nara or Sado?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Nara or Sado? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Nara

As Japan's first capital, Nara offers a world of tradition and culture second only to the city of Kyoto. It is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are largely concentrated in the area of Nara Park. Here, it is also common to see many deer wandering freely amongst the temples and shrines.

Sado

Sado Island, Japan is located just off the coast of Niigata and is an old gold mining town that has since developed into a quiet summer holiday destination. The island is home to two mountain ranges, O-Sado in the north and Ko-sado in the south, with the popular Kuninaka plain in between the mountain ranges. With the remoteness of the island, it has become a popular destination for tourists to experience old Japan and get away from the busy mainland.

Which city is cheaper, Sado or Nara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Nara is $78, while the average daily cost in Sado is $56. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Nara and Sado in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nara $47
    Sado $27
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nara $94
    Sado $54

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Nara $5.59
    Sado $13

Is it cheaper to fly into Nara or Sado?

Prices for flights to both Sado and Nara 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Nara $26
    Sado $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nara

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nara.

  • Cooking Japanese rice in traditional oven at Shikano-fune, Kamado: $38

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sado

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sado.

  • Cooking the finest rice balls using salt and rice from Sado: $20
  • Picking up bamboo shoots and cooking, Mt. Donden spring walk: $121

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nara $7.19
    Sado $7.64

Tours and Activities in Nara

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nara are as follows:

  • [Virtual Tour] Enjoy Japanese Ancient City (Nara) with Friendly Deer: $12
  • All must-sees in 3 hours - Nara Park Classic Tour!: $30
  • Japanese Calligraphy Experience in Nara: $35
  • Nara Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $36
  • Nara Craft Tours - local Craft beers tour experience in Nara City: $40
  • Heijo Palace Walking Tour (Half Day): $43
  • Sushi Making Experience Umemori Sushi School Nara/Kyoto/Osaka: $45
  • Big Buddha, Bambi and Backstreets Cultural Tour: $59
  • Nara Todai-ji Lazy Bird Tour: $64
  • Nara Lazy Bird Tour: $80
  • Half-Day UNESCO Heritage & Local Culture Walking Tour: $88
  • Discover Traditional Nara Walking Tour (Half day): $91

Tours and Activities in Sado

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sado are as follows:

  • Bike Tour in Sado with a Local Guide: $35
  • Unique tour of picking up Bamboo shoots, taste experience: $69
  • SADO ISLAND private cycling tour in Shukunegi and Ogi: $108

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nara $10
    Sado $60

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nara and Sado, we can see that Nara is more expensive. And not only is Sado much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sado would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sado 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 Nara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nara than you might in Sado.

Related Articles for Sado
KobeKyotoHiroshimaSendaiKanazawaNagasaki

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
Sign Up

More City Comparisons
Yokohama vs. Nara
Yokohama vs. Sado
Yamaguchi vs. Nara
Yamaguchi vs. Sado
Yaeyama Islands vs. Nara
Yaeyama Islands vs. Sado
Tokyo vs. Nara
Tokyo vs. Sado
Osaka vs. Nara
Osaka vs. Sado
Nikko vs. Nara
Nikko vs. Sado
Nara vs. Nagoya
Nara vs. Nagasaki
Nara vs. Nagano
Nara vs. Matsue
Nara vs. Kyoto
Nara vs. Koyasan
Nara vs. Kobe
Nara vs. Kanazawa
Nara vs. Kamakura
Nara vs. Ise
Nara vs. Hiroshima
Nara vs. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
Nara vs. Chichibu-Tama-Kai
Nara vs. Atami
Nara vs. Okinawa
Nara vs. Sendai
Share This Page
Pin This Page
Nara vs. Sado Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.