200$/month as grocery budget?

Hi!

I'm going to Tokyo in 3 months and I'll be there during 6 months, working as volunter.

They offer me a free room (bills included) in the city centre, and they take care of my transportation costs, but I have to pay everything else.

Do you think I can make it with something like 150-200$/month? I've seen that there is an OK Supermarket near my flat, so I could do the shopping there.

On the other hand, could you tell me please how much these things cost in an OK supermarket?
- 1kg pasta
- 1 Medium size frozen pizza
- 1kg rice
- 1L Soya Milk
- 12 cans (33cl) of beer (alcohol)
- 500gr fresh chicken
- 1kg potato
- 500gr fresh red/green pepper
- 500gr lentils

Thanks!! :D

I think it is possible to live on 20,000 yen unless you are a big eater or you like eating out.

20000yen/month = 666yen/day
if your question is possible or impossible, YES, it is possible. But, its everyday's living is poor and unpleasant. You are just surviving in Japan.

It's possible-you won't starve, but... Food affects more than your physical health. If you are used to a normal first world diet, switching to something close to a subsistence diet won't make you the happiest bunny in the warren. Hunger affects people adversely. You may get a bit snappy with people.

I'd suggest you try a proper subsistence diet for a month, wherever you are. So forget the frozen ready meals, processed foods and all alcohol and see how you go eating only the bare necessities. It'll give you a chance to see whether it turns you into a moody psychopath and to explore a few cost savings: using tea bags several times etc.

Food is no more expensive in Japan than in any other developed country. If you are determined to do it, buy your staples (rice, beans) in the largest quantities that you can and top up with special offer vegetables. 1 litre of soya milk? I just paid 294y at the local convenience store.

If you can hack it, and don't lose too much weight, you can budget properly after your first week here. Any surplus, use for treats. Treats are important on a limited diet.

In all honesty, I'd urge you to earn extra cash or sell something before you leave so that you can increase your budget. You won't be hungry, worrying about running out of money or food, and you might enjoy your time here a lot more. Nowhere does snacks and treats quite as gloriously as Tokyo does, and there are more eateries here than anywhere else on the planet. To come here and eat a very limited diet feels like a bad plan and a false economy. Good luck either way and well done for volunteering.

I'm not sure why people are thinking you'll starve. As a base grocery amount I think that's fine and is about how much I spend on a normal month's of grocery shopping as long as I'm not planning anything special.

You can also check for sales to help you save on things. The most expensive items will probably be fruit and sometimes vegetables can get pricey too but frozen vegetables are always an option.

You can also cook in bulk and freeze extras to defrost for work or for supper. That's what I do since it can be easier to cook up a lot on the weekend and freeze to eat throughout the next couple of weeks.

Now if that budget includes eating out with friends, then it will start to be tight. Typically $400 a month will let you live comfortably and still enjoy going out with friends and doing things in your free time as long as you keep it reasonable. But you will know more than others how much you need to eat/socialize to be happy.

I agree with Sage. I live in a big expensive town in North America (not in the USA)and do not spend that amount per month.
But then I don't eat lot of meat or fish--some but not big quantities- and don't drink beer, wine etc.

I don't drink Coke and other similar unhealthy drinks.

hi
where are you volunteering?
how can someone volunteer in japan?

Thanks for your answers guys.

Here in my hometown I don't spend more than 150$/month in grocery and I eat all I want. So I agree with Sage and with "Monkey see", but I know Tokio is more expansive so that was the reason of my concern. Are you living in Tokyo, Sage? If so, then I'll get your answer as a good reference :)

Of course, the budget mentioned doesn't include socialize costs, only food & drinks (juice, water, milk).

nihon ni ikitai: Yes, one can volunter anywhere, and of course also in Japan:) For example in environmental, agricultural or social issues.

Thanks guys!

I live outside of Kyoto but I've gone grocery shopping with friends in various other prefectures including Tokyo and I didn't think the cost that much worse than elsewhere. Some grocery stores are cheaper than others but that's like anywhere in the world.

If you cook yourself and have a Japanese diet, you can get well fed and then some on 20,000 yen a month, including the occasional trip out.

I agree with David 100% - $200/month for food is subsistence living. Your trip will be more meaningful and enjoyable if you can explore wonderful Japanese cuisine rather than just cooking rice and beans for yourself, and if you can go to lunch or drinks with your coworkers and new friends rather than sitting with your bento box from home every day.

So 150 dollars is 20,000 yen?
Definitely survivable as said.
I'm not so sure on it veing subsidence living though. I live ok on 50 thousand a month and I drink, eat out, go traveling, etc..., were I to go teetotal and just stay home all the time then i think I could live just fine on 20000 a month, mostly eating whatever I like

Since OP asked about the price of 12 beers, I don't think teetotaling is part of the picture. Y20,000 a month is around Y660 per day, and at Y660 per day, to cover three meals, you don't eat "whatever you want," you eat quite frugally.

If you read, the poster said that the budget was just for groceries and not eating out with friends. So I think it's also safe to assume that there will be meals not made at home and not needed to be included in the budget.

If you're buying food and cooking at home, that budget stretches quite far. Breakfast barely costs anything if you're typically eating toast or cereals. It's also quite possible to cook a variety of meals for supper that you can then save as left overs for lunch or supper again the next day. Pastas, curries, soups, stews and the like are hardy, pretty healthy and last for several meals.

It mostly comes down to planning so you aren't wasting food by letting it go bad and so that you are buying food when they are in season or on sale.

When I was single 20,000 yen/month was pretty much my basic food budget for the month out in the suburbs. I'm naturally a frugal person, but never really had to budget to stay around that amount. You just need to shop around until you find the cheapest shops. It wasn't anywhere near subsistence living though, and I could probably get my food budget down quite a bit further if necessary.

Depends on what and how you eat. If you try to make yourself full with meat, that budget may not work. But if you eat like us, i.e. get yourself full with rice, and have some miso soup, a piece of fish, some vegetables and beans, you will hardly spend much money.