Isn't it expensive?

One question I was often asked when I said that I'm going to Japan is, "Isn't it expensive?"

Well, kind of, but not as much as you'd think.

First of all, I'm not in Tokyo, so that makes a difference.  I'm about 190 miles/300 km away from Tokyo.

Okazaki has 372,357 people, according to Wikipedia, while the metro Appleton area has 367,516.  Okazaki's density is 992 people per square kilometer, while Appleton's is 1172.  Okazaki's cost of living is less than Tokyo, like Appleton's is less than New York City, or even Chicago.

I did some shopping today, so I'll give you some prices to compare with costs where you live.

2L green tea (not sweetened) = ¥118/$1.04
This can of beer (Kirin Platinum Double -- 0 purine, 0 carbs!) = ¥128/$1.13

500 g/1.1 lb sugar = ¥125/$1.11
2 kg/4.4 lbs uncooked short-grain rice = ¥880/$7.80
5 bath's worth of bath salts =  ¥100/$0.88

Conversely, I can get some things here that I can't find at any price in the Appleton area -- mostly a greater variety of fresh seafood, mushrooms and tea.  Like maitake mushrooms:

Sales tax here is 8%.  If you want a plastic bag for your groceries, you'll pay a few yen for one -- or just bring a reusable bag of your own.

Housing is more expensive in Japan than in Appleton, partly because so much of Japan is mountainous and not suitable for building on.  A positive side of that is that Japan has a lot of forest.  I'm avoiding some of the costs of renting, such as unrefunded fees paid to landlords and real estate agents when signing a lease.  That's because the school owns the building I'm living in.

Gasoline is more expensive than in the US, but not as expensive as places like Norway.  But that's an expense I won't have -- I intend to get a bicycle and take trains and buses for long distance travel.

Of course, if you come to Japan and want to eat only Western-style food and drink imported beverages, you'll pay more than someone who eats and drinks local fare.  Japan is not a cheap destination, but it doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive, either.