How much does it cost to travel to Nara?
You should plan to spend around $93 (¥13,204) per day on your vacation in Nara. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $30 (¥4,324) on meals
- $6.29 (¥893) on local transportation
- $112 (¥15,956) on hotels
A one week trip to Nara for two people costs, on average, $1,300 (¥184,856). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Nara has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Nara expensive to visit?
Prices in Nara are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Asia, Nara is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Taiyuan or Atami.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Nara Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Nara?
The average Nara trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Nara travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
¥15,956
($112)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
¥893
($6)
|
Food 2
|
¥4,324
($30)
|
Entertainment 1
|
¥1,196
($8)
|
Alcohol 2
|
¥857 -
2,571
($6 - 18)
|
Accommodation Budget in Nara
The wide range of prices for hotels and accommodation in Nara can be very surprising. Some destinations have much higher price tags than others, and even within the same areas you can find a big difference between the budget-friendly and higher-end hotels. Also, during peak season, prices are much higher. You can save a good bit of money if you travel during the low season or shoulder seasons, as room prices adjust according to the overall demand. Booking in advance can often save you money, too.
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Nara is $56 (¥7,978). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Nara is $112 (¥15,956). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Nara? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
The most affordable highest rated hotels in Nara include:
- Nara Hotel starting at $124
- Hotel Ligare Kasugano starting at $124
- Kanko Hotel Tamaru starting at $114
Transportation Budget in Nara
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Nara is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $6.29 (¥893) per person, per day, on local transportation in Nara.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$6.29
¥893
A few of the typical transportation options and hotel transfers include:
- Kansai Airport (KIX):Private One-Way Transfer to/from Nara for $242 details
How much does it cost to go to Nara? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Nara will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Nara
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Nara can vary, the average cost of food in Nara is $30 (¥4,324) per day, based on the spending habits of previous travelers.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$30
¥4,324
If you want to experience the culture in Nara, a food tour or cooking class is a great way to do it. After all, cuisine is one of the reasons why so many people visit. A few of the best culinary activities here include:
- Full Day Nara E bike Tour and Osaka History Food Tour for $200 details
- Cooking class, learning how to make authentic sushi for $118 details
Entertainment Budget in Nara
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Nara typically cost an average of $8.42 (¥1,196) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$8.42
¥1,196
Local tours that last a few hours can be a great way to explore Nara. Prices vary by the type of activity or tour, the dates, and the size of the group. Here are a few of the highest rated tours by previous visitors:
- Kyoto Matcha Green Tea Tour for $236 details
- A completely private tour to meet your favorite tea for $24 details
- Nara Todaiji Lazy Bird Walking Tour for $92 details
Alcohol Budget in Nara
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $12 (¥1,714) on alcoholic beverages in Nara per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$12
¥1,714
Last Updated: Oct 16, 2023
Nara on a Budget
Ukimido Pavilion, Nara, Japan (©NARA TOURISM FEDERATION/©JNTO)
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.
Sights
In Nara, Nara Park is the place where most of the city's sights are concentrated. Temples, shrines, and semi-wild deer span across a wide, pleasant space of greenery. Visitors can enjoy the wildlife and even
feed the deer in Nara. The Daibutsu-den, which houses the second largest Buddha statue in Japan, is said to be the largest wooden building in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There is a giant front gate guarded by two fierce protectors, and there are many other giant statues and relics to be found on site.
Kofuku-ji is a temple with a three-story and a five-story pagoda that can be viewed beautifully from Sarusawa Pond. Other temples and shrines of the park include Himuro Shrine surrounded by cherry trees, Ukimido built upon Sagiike Pond, Shin-Yakushi-ji with fierce warrior statues and a Buddha of healing, and Kasuga Taisha with a giant rack of sake barrels near the front gate and the fountain-statue of a giant buck.
Nara National Museum has one of the world's best collections of Buddhist art and changing exhibitions, while some of the park's natural beauties can be viewed at the Kasuga-yama Hill Primeval Forest, Isui-en Garden, and the Yoshikien Garden.
Neighborhoods
Downtown Nara is the area built up around the city's two main train stations-JR Nara Station and Kintetsu Nara Station. The two main streets, Sanjo-dori Street and Noborioji-dori Street, are where you will find most of Nara's hotels, shops, and restaurants. Noborioji-dori Street marks the north side of downtown and takes you up to Nara Park, where most of the historic sight-seeing can be done. Naramachi is the more traditional district of Nara where you will find some ryokan (Japanese-style inns), restaurants, cafes, and shops. Easy walking distance to Nara Park and the two train stations, Naramachi is a pleasant part of town to take a stroll and enjoy the peaceful side of a traditional city for an afternoon.
Activities
With so much history and so many World Heritage Sites (both those mentioned above as well as others in the surrounding areas), sight-seeing can occupy most of a visit. Some worthwhile sights not yet mentioned include temple complexes like Yakushi-ji and Gango-ji as well as the Heijokyu Palace Site.
The Mount Wakakusa Fire Festival is a celebration usually held the night before the 2nd Monday in January. Great fireworks and the dry grass on the slopes of this mountain are set on fire by two temples, and can make for a spectacular show. There is also an annual light festival in August called Nara Toka-e, where 10,000 candles illuminate the area around Nara Park and major temples. The most traditional, however, is Shuni-e (Omozu-tori) which has been celebrated annual since 752 AD. During the first two weeks of March, priests perform a Buddhist memorial service every evening, running around the Nigatsu-do carrying large flaming torches
Food and Dining
One of the more renowned products of Nara is called kaki-no-hazushi, which is sushi (usually mackerel or salmon) wrapped in persimmon leaves and is used to make various foods from kudzu noodles to Japanese sweets. Somen are a type of thin wheat noodle also served in Nara, and can be either hot or cold. Another well-known culinary product is shika-senbei, a rice cracker sold around Nara Park, though it is mainly sold for the purpose of feeding the deer. The kaki-no-hazushi, mentioned earlier, is also popular take-out food, common with travelers passing through for a quick snack. As far as drinks go, yamato-cha is a locally-produced healthy green tea, and of course there is sake. Harushika brand is produced by one of the oldest existing sake breweries in Japan. Most restaurants are located in Downtown Nara or Naramachi, and range from local to international selections.
Transportation
In Japan, trains are one of the fastest and lowest cost means of transportation. Getting a
Japan Rail Pass can save you money if you plan to stay for several days or more. Regional and nation-wide passes are available, usually for the number of days of your choice.
Since Nara does not have its own airport, most visitors arrive via either Kansai International Airport or Osaka's Itami Airport (for domestic flights). From Kansai Airport, Airport Limousine buses run to the two Nara train stations every hour.
By train from Kyoto Station, both the JR Nara Line and the private Kintetsu Kyoto Line will get you to Nara quickly. The trip can take 35-50 minutes depending on the train. The fastest train route from Osaka is to take the private Kintetsu Nara Line from Namba Station.
As Nara is a major tourist attraction, there are a good number of buses that run between Nara and other locations throughout Japan, which are much cheaper than train fares. Major bus lines include JR Bus, Willer Express, and Nara Kotsu.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.