Tokyo Convenience Store Food Prices 2024
When I’m trying to get an idea of a budget for a trip, I find it helpful to have actual prices for things. One way to save money while traveling in Japan is to buy food at convenience stores, since they’re practically on every corner and most are open 24/7. Some even have fresh food similar to a grocery store, so you can stock up on things to make in your hostel kitchen.
Here’s some prices I gathered from convenience store visits in Tokyo, Japan in spring 2024. While there’s a little bit of a price difference between the different store brands, it’s not a HUGE difference (maybe $0.10-.50 USD), so I based this list off the Lawson I was closest to while I stayed in Tokyo.
Prices are listed in Japanese yen and converted to USD. Actual prices may differ slightly depending on the exchange rate when you’re visiting; this is just to give you an idea of how to budget for food while in Tokyo.
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Shopping Video
Here’s an example of what I bought from Lawson, one of the major convenience stores in Japan. I filmed a video showing what I bought and how much it cost.
Pre-made simple foods
Sandwiches, refrigerated
Japan’s sandwiches are SO GOOD; the bread never gets soggy and the filling is always delicious. My favorite is the egg salad/tuna salad combo sandwiches, but the ham and egg one isn’t bad, either. If you eat pork, the pork cutlet sandwiches are also pretty good.
Tuna and egg sandwich: ¥289 / $1.95 USD
Ham and egg sandwich: ¥376 / $2.53 USD
Ham, egg and cheese sandwich: ¥333 / $2.24 USD
Pork cutlet sandwich: ¥484 / $3.27 USD
Sandwiches, shelf stable
These are located on the pastry shelves, not the fridge section. I actually don’t really like these types of sandwiches BUT if you’re about to go out sightseeing for hours and don’t want to worry about your tuna sandwich going bad, then this might be a good option.
Ham, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich:
Onigiri
A staple of both locals and tourists, onigiri are rice balls with a small amount of filling. I like the spicy salmon one best!
Tuna mayonnaise onigiri: ¥149 / $1 USD
Spicy pollack roe onigiri: ¥181 / $1.22 USD
Grilled salmon flakes onigiri: ¥181 / $1.22 USD
🍙 Wanna learn how to make onigiri? Take an onigiri-making class at Koboji Temple!
Pre-cooked meat
These are super handy if you want to beef up a pasta bowl with some protein. You can get chicken, beef, pork, etc. and they’re even pre-marinated in a flavor.
Chicken, plain steamed breast: ¥180 / $1.21 USD
Hamburger with cheese: ¥160 / $1.08 USD for 1 small patty
Imitation crab meat stick: ¥181 / $1.22 USD for 1 large stick
Cold cuts
These aren’t exactly like what we’re used to in America, but they’re close enough.
Ham slices: ¥160 / $1.08 USD for 4 slices
Bacon: ¥87 / $0.59 USD for 4 slices (smaller than average American bacon)
Pastrami: ¥192 / $1.30 USD
Roasted pork: ¥289 / $1.95 USD
Salads
To be honest, the salad selection is better in grocery stores. But if you’re desperate, then they do have some choices available at conbinis:
Pork pasta salad: ¥397 / $2.67 USD
Steamed chicken and egg salad: ¥437 / $2.94 USD
Pre-made meals
These are entire meals you can reheat, usually more substantial than the sandwiches and such.
Pasta or rice with cheese (cheese gratin)
This is actually a VERY good deal considering how expensive cheese is here. I recommend 7-11’s cheese rice with chicken and broccoli for the best amount of nutrients. If you have access to a kitchenette, you could also buy Lawson’s frozen cheese pasta and add a pre-cooked chicken breast and some frozen veg for a more complete meal.
Cheese gratin, frozen: ¥397 / $2.67 USD
Hamburg steak curry rice with cheese sauce: ¥570 / $3.84 USD
Noodles
Recommended: Lawson’s thick ramen soup. It tastes similar enough to Ichiran for about half the price (and half the amount).
Pho: ¥546 / $3.68 USD
Thick ramen soup: ¥646 / $4.35 USD
Vegetable tempura soba noodles: ¥497 / $3.35 USD
Lunch boxes (bento boxes)
I don’t eat much of these because I don’t like cold chicken/etc., but they have a good selection available. Usually you’ll get rice, a meat, some eggs and another side dish.
Grilled pork with ginger bento: ¥659 / $4.44 USD
Hamburger steak bento: ¥659 / $4.44 USD
Omelet rice: ¥724 / $4.88 USD
🍚 Want to learn how to make an authentic Japanese bento? Join Patia’s Japanese Cooking Class!
Staple Foods
Fruit
This is the most expensive thing, really. You can get better deals on fresh fruit at a grocery store, but if you’re desperate then the combini has some available.
Bananas: ¥322 / $2.17 USD for ONE BANANA
Grapes: ¥259 / $1.75 USD for a snack size bag
Grapefruit in juice snack cup: ¥346 / $2.33 USD
Mango snack cup: ¥443 / $2.92 USD
Mixed berries, frozen: ¥289 / $1.95 USD for a very small bag
Milk
Whole milk: ¥177 / $1.20 USD for 500mL or ¥257 / $1.74 USD for 1L
Skim milk: ¥204 / $1.38 USD for 1L
Butter
Real butter: ¥498 / $3.37 USD for 200g of Hokkaido butter (the best!)
Margarine: ¥398 / $2.68 USD
Bread
Mostly all I seem to find is white bread, usually in packs for 4-6 slices of varying thickness.
Standard white bread: ¥173 / $1.17 USD for 6 slices
Eggs, cooked
These are soft boiled eggs, great for adding into a ramen bowl or salad.
Regular: ¥216 / $1.46 USD for 2 eggs
Soft smoked egg (marinated in soy sauce, I think?): ¥235 / $1.59 USD for 2 eggs
Marinated eggs, different flavors (pre-peeled): ¥322 / $2.18 USD for 2 eggs
Eggs, raw
A dozen here is 10 eggs, keep that in mind!
Pack of 10: ¥368 / $2.48 USD
Pack of 4: ¥285 / $1.92 USD
Cheese
This is hit-or-miss, as their cheese selection in Japan tends to be on the soft, light flavors sort of thing. I don’t really see cheddar or “stinky” type cheese. Also, the cheese in convenience stores tend to be individually wrapped rather than a block.
Camembert: ¥235 / $1.59 USD for 6 pieces
Frozen vegetables
Not a lot of variety, but a small bag of green beans lasts me several meals.
Instant rice
These are handy if you don’t have access to a rice cooker, or only need to make one portion of rice at a time.
1 pack of rice: ¥100 something / $0.67 USD
3 pack of rice: ¥300 something / $2 USD
Instant noodles
Store brand: ¥168 / $1.13 USD
Tofu
Soft tofu: ¥106 / $0.72 for 3 small size portions
Soft tofu: ¥181 / $1.22 USD for 1 big regular sized portion
Drinks
Beer
Kirin beer: ¥292 / $1.97 USD for 500mL
Suntory beer: ¥286 / $1.93 USD for 500mL
Asahi dry beer: ¥301 / $2.03 USD for 500mL
🍶 Interested more in sake? Join this sake tasting group experience at Toyosu!
Bottled coffee (cold)
“Milk coffee” in a carton: ¥135 / $0.91 USD for 500mL or ¥206 / $1.39 USD for 1L
Bottled coffee (hot)
Craft Boss milk coffee: ¥149 / $1 USD for 440mL (bigger than what you get from the vending machines)
Georgia Coffee latte: ¥138 / $0.93 USD for 440mL
Other drinks
Coca-cola: ¥172 / $1.16 USD for 500mL
Water: ¥100 / $0.67 USD for 600mL
Snacks
Pocky: ¥185 / $1.25 USD
Store brand potato chips: ¥118 / $0.80 USD for 50g
Assorted nuts: ¥225 / $1.52 USD for a very small bag tbh
Pringles: ¥283 / $1.91 USD for tall can
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