Tokyo Convenience Store Food Prices 2024 | Budget Travel in Japan

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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Here’s an example of what I bought from Lawson, one of the major convenience stores in Japan.

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

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

TBH the salad selection is better in grocery stores but if you’re desperate than they do have some choices available:

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

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

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

Traveling in Japan this year? You might be interested in these posts:

Tokyo Convenience Store Food Prices 2024 | Budget Travel in Japan

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