As of November 12, 2026, Taiwan is cheaper than Japan for travelers: a mid-range day costs about $93 in Taiwan against $131 in Japan, a gap of 40.2%. Over the past year Taiwan has moved more in the US-dollar traveler's favor (+7.8% after inflation, against +4.9%). Both sit at US advisory Level 1.
| Measure | Japan | Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day | $131 | $93 |
| Lean day | $61 | $42 |
| Comfortable day | $299 | $205 |
| Real change, 12 months | +4.9% | +7.8% |
| Exchange rate alone, 12 months | +3.6% | +6.3% |
| Versus 5-year average | +20.6% | n/a |
| US advisory | Level 1 · Normal precautions | Level 1 · Normal precautions |
| Ease of travel | 5.0 · Effortless | 4.7 · Effortless |
| Index score | 70 | 73 |
| Best months | Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov | Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr |
| Shoulder months | Jan, Feb, Jun, Dec | May, Dec |
The better figure in each row is in bold. Costs are modeled estimates per person, excluding international flights.
The rich country that got cheap. The yen remains far below where it sat a decade ago.
The catchKyoto and Tokyo are crowded and hotel rates there have risen with demand. Value is in second cities and the countryside.
Japan's order and China's food, with fewer tourists than either.
The catchHotels are pricey relative to everything else, and summer brings typhoons and punishing humidity.
Source: Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026. How this is calculated.