A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tokyo vs. Royal Chitwan National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tokyo or Royal Chitwan National Park?

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

Should I visit Tokyo or Royal Chitwan National Park? 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.

Where Should I go: Tokyo or Royal Chitwan National Park?

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.

Royal Chitwan National Park

The majestic elephant, the silly monkey and dozens of soaring birds call the Royal Chitwan National Park home. At the foot of the Himalayas, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is 932 square kilometers of animal and plant life preservation in Nepal.

Once the favorite hunting ground for Nepal's ruling class, the area began seeing the endangerment of all the area animals. So in 1957, Nepal passed its first conservation law to protect the rhinos and their habitat. At the end of the 1960s, however, DDT had cleared 70% of Royal Chitwan National Park jungles, thousands of people had created moved in on the land and only 95 rhinos were left. By 1977 the park was under complete protection, enlarged to the present-day size and is one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.

This park, also known as "the heart of the jungle," provides over 70,000 annual visitors with opportunities to get close and personal with animals they've only seen in movies. Fair warning, however, the weather is quite hot and humid for most of the year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Japan, The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Pokhara, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Nepal.


Which place is cheaper, Royal Chitwan National Park or Tokyo?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Tokyo is $157, while the average daily cost in Royal Chitwan National Park is $35. 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 Tokyo and Royal Chitwan National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tokyo $76
    Royal Chitwan National Park $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tokyo $152
    Royal Chitwan National Park $22
Compare Hotels in Tokyo and Royal Chitwan National Park

Looking for a hotel in Tokyo or Royal Chitwan National Park? 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.

Hotels in Tokyo


Hotels in Royal Chitwan National Park


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 and Royal Chitwan National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tokyo $17
    Royal Chitwan National Park $22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo

Also for Tokyo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • [Private airport transfer]Haneda Airport (HND)⇔Tokyo City: $150
  • Yokohama Private Arrival Transfer : Tokyo Hotels to Yokohama Port or Hotels: $152
  • Yokohama Port: Private Customizable Tour with Transfer: $328
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Tokyo City Center to Narita Airport: $90
  • Transfer in private minivan from Tokyo City Center to Narita Airport: $110
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Tokyo Narita Airport to City Center: $110
  • Tokyo:Haneda Airport (HND) Private One-Way Transfer to Tokyo: $125
  • Private transfer to/from Yokohama Osanbashi Port: $189
  • Private Transfer from/to Tokyo Narita Airport: $226
  • Private Transfer from/to Tokyo Haneda Airport: $136
  • Private Transfer from Haneda Airport for Arrivals: $75
  • Private One-Way Transfer to/from Haneda Airport: $95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Royal Chitwan National Park

Also for Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Chitwan to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car : $75

Is it cheaper to fly into Tokyo or Royal Chitwan National Park?

Prices for flights to both Royal Chitwan National Park and Tokyo 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
    Tokyo $37
    Royal Chitwan National Park $9.44
Typical Food Prices in Tokyo

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:


  • Late Night Noodles
    $5.22
  • Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack
    $5.22
  • Meal at Airport
    $6.80

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo

For Tokyo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Takoyaki cooking experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $22
  • Easy Ramen Cooking Experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $25
  • 2 Hours Japanese Style Pub and Food Tour in Ueno: $32
  • 【Contemporary Culture】Food tour I Always Visit in Shibuya: $38
  • 【Contemporary Culture】food tour I Always Visit in Shibuya: $39
  • Tokyo Best Cooking Class! Sushi Making Experience in Tsukiji: $52
  • Tokyo Best Cooking Class! Sushi making class in Tsukiji: $55
  • Japanese Traditional Cooking Class: $58
  • Wagyu and 7 Japanese Dishes Cooking Class: $59
  • Tokyo Wagyu Culinary Tour Cooking Culture and Tasting: $65
  • Small-Group Wagyu Beef and 7 Japanese Dishes Tokyo Cooking Class: $68
  • Private Food Tour in Downtown Yanesen and Nezu Shrine: $72

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tokyo $68
    Royal Chitwan National Park $9.63

Tours and Activities in Tokyo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.

  • Art Japanese Fan Crafting Experience in Tokyo Asakusa: $23
  • Authentic Samurai Experience With Real Actors: $97
  • Mt. Fuji Roundtrip Tours From Shinjuku, Japan: $84
  • “Your name.” Going on an electric bicycle <Roppongi, Shinanomachi, Shinjuku> A 6-hour tour of a sacred place. (With support car): $133
  • "Nippori Fabric Town" Walking Tour: $41
  • *Starting / Ending at Your Hotel* 3hr Private E-bike Tour Tokyo: $134
  • 1 Day Bus Tour To Mitsumine Shrine From Shinjuku: $88
  • 1 Day Tokyo Charter Private Tour with English & Hindi Driver: $347
  • 1 Day Tokyo Private Charter Sightseeing Tour with Guide: $484
  • 1 Day Tokyo Sightseeing Tour Private Wagon: $474
  • 1 Day Walking Tour in Asakusa Traditional Tokyo and Nature: $143
  • 1 Day private Tour in Hakone with Hakone Freepass & Train Ticket: $84

Tours and Activities in Royal Chitwan National Park

For Royal Chitwan National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Safari Tour: $118
  • 2 Nights 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour : $154
  • 3 Nights 4 Days Comfortable Chitwan Safari Tour: $195
  • Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $140
  • Chitwan Safari Tour : $160
  • Chitwan Tour Packages: $200
  • Experience the ride in Lowlands of Nepal: $62

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tokyo $33
    Royal Chitwan National Park $6.49
Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:


  • Sake
    $3.91

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: $25
  • 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Weekly Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $52
  • Private Shinjuku Nightlife Walking Tour & Golden-Gai Bar Crawl: $78
  • barhopping tour&bar crawl in Retro Town Shimokitazawa: $82
  • Toshimaya Sake Brewery Tour with Sake Tasting: $88
  • Tokyo | 3 Hours Brewery Tour with Sake Sommelier: $101
  • Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo : $104
  • Sake Brewery and Spiritual Nature Tour in Okutama Tokyo: $133
  • Private Local Craft Brewery Tour in Tokyo: $150
  • Wooden Barrel Sake Brewery Tour and Unlimited Tasting Near Tokyo: $161
  • Private Walking Tour with Sake Brewery Visit in Chichibu: $190


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tokyo and Royal Chitwan National Park, we can see that Tokyo is more expensive. And not only is Royal Chitwan National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Royal Chitwan National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Royal Chitwan National Park 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 Royal Chitwan National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tokyo Expensive? and Is Royal Chitwan National Park Expensive?.