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How much does a trip to Kyoto, Japan cost?
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A 3-night trip to Kyoto, Japan for 2 people costs about €1,430 (¥254,000) on a mid-range budget, from €495 (¥88,000) travelling cheaply up to €1,950 (¥345,000) in comfort. Totals cover accommodation, food and drinks, local transport and sights; flights are extra.
Updated September 2026
Trip cost calculator
3-4 star hotel, restaurants, a taxi now and then
| Stay | €1,140 (¥202,000) |
| Food & drinks | €125 (¥22,500) |
| Local transport | €110 (¥19,500) |
| Sights & activities | €55 (¥9,840) |
| Total | €1,430 (¥254,000) |
Cost per person per day in Kyoto, Japan
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay | €64¥11,300 | €190¥33,700 | €235¥42,100 |
| Food & drinks | €12¥2,180 | €21¥3,750 | €31¥5,550 |
| Local transport | €3¥575 | €18¥3,260 | €37¥6,600 |
| Sights & activities | €3.5¥630 | €9¥1,640 | €18¥3,280 |
| Total per person per day | €83¥14,700 | €240¥42,300 | €325¥57,500 |
What things cost in Kyoto, Japan
Hotel room per night
- Budget€125 (¥22,600)
- Mid-range€380 (¥67,400)
- Comfort€475 (¥84,200)
Live nightly rates for a double room near the centre: median of 29 hotels on Agoda for a night next month.
- Restaurant meal€7.11 (¥1,261.84)
- Street food or quick meal€2.67 (¥473.19)
- Coffee€2.67 (¥473.19)
- Beer€4.44 (¥788.65)
- Taxi per km€2.67 (¥473.19)
- Public transport ticket€1.30 (¥230)
Hotels in Kyoto, Japan
Budget: €125 (¥22,600) · Mid-range: €380 (¥67,400) · Comfort: €475 (¥84,200)
See hotel prices for your datesMoney tips for Kyoto, Japan
- Fair taxi price (official, daytime): ¥9,000 - ¥15,000 (€51 - €85). Metered fare from Kansai Airport to central Kyoto is roughly 9,000 to 15,000 yen. Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals; refuse drivers who approach you inside the terminal.
- Best alternative: Haruka limited express train to Kyoto Station (¥3,000 (€16.91))
- Paper tickets are validated at the gate on entry; IC cards (ICOCA, Suica) are tapped at the ticket gate on entry and exit. No separate validation machines on buses; tap or insert upon boarding. A common mistake is failing to tap out correctly on trains with IC cards, which locks the card. Fine without a valid ticket: ¥20,000 (€112.71).
- No tipping is expected or customary in Japan. Service is included in the bill at restaurants, taxis and hotels. Leaving money on the table can confuse staff.
- Most restaurants include tax and service in the menu price; some add a small per-person seating charge (otoushi) in izakaya-style places, disclosed at the table, not a scam. Legislative rules: menu prices must include tax by an enforceable labeling requirement, and every menu must display prices.
- Always choose to be charged in yen and decline dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and when paying by card. Prefer bank-attached ATMs or those in convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) that accept foreign cards. Some convenience store ATMs charge a withdrawal fee of 110 to 220 yen plus your bank's fee. Avoid currency exchange at hotels and tourist-area booths, which give poor rates.
Tickets for the top sights
Check current prices and book official tickets in advance.
How we calculate
Stay is a double room shared by two (one room per two travelers). Food assumes two cheap meals, a modest dinner and a coffee on a budget, a cheap lunch, a restaurant dinner, coffee and a drink mid-range and restaurant meals, coffees and drinks in comfort. Transport is a daily public transport allowance, plus taxis in the higher tiers. Sights is an average daily allowance for entry tickets and activities. Everything is per day of the trip; a 3-night trip counts 3 days.
Not included: flights, travel insurance, city tax (usually a few euros per person per night, paid at the hotel), shopping and nightlife.
Estimates from average local prices and live hotel rates; exchange rates as of 2026-10-05. Your trip can cost more or less.