Job Discussion Forums

[sabina]

Thanks for the replies, everyone!! I was curious because I don't have many grocery stores in my area and the main store charges more than I am used to paying back home. (And I'm not from the continental US, either.)
One more question: has anyone ever seen brown rice in a big bag? I've just been able to get it in a 2 kilo pack. Thankfully it's the same price as white rice. I know it isn't popular here but I would be delighted to find out that someone managed to buy it in bulk.

[inuzuki8605]

[torontogirl88]

Is 1000-2000 yen per day actually reasonable? I'd probably be eating at restaurants every day.

I LOVE Japanese food, and I heard it was expensive over there?

I'm a pretty small girl, but I eat A LOT.

I absolutely love sushi. Is it cheaper over there or something?

To get an idea of how much I should budget - How much would one roll of sushi be? Or, how much would one order of saba/mackarel sashimi be?

Thank you

[Glenski]

[the4th2001]

[Apsara]

[move]

I'm budgeting myself to spend about 5,000 a week for food, so about 20,000 a month. I shop at the discount grocery store, cook all my meals at home (except for 1 or 2 meals I eat out on the weekend, which isn't included in the above 5,000).

[Glenski]

Just remember that groceries count for more than just food. Toiletries, paper supplies (aluminum foil, saran wrap, paper towels, etc.), soaps and detergents and other cleaners, and more.

[Tuan]

[TokyoLiz]

I live in the Chiba 'burbs. I make my own breakfast, bento box lunch and dinner most days, and eat out once or twice a week. For a single person, teishoku, set menu, is reasonably priced, between 500-1000 yen, and dining out with friends usually costs about 3000 yen. I figure my food budget is closer to 30,000 yen.

I second what Apsara said about genmai, brown rice. My local rice seller fills my okomebitsu, a 100 yen plastic box for under 1000 yen.

The rice seller may warn you off buying in larger quantities. Genmai is much less processed than white rice, so it can spoil. A good rule of thumb is to buy only 2-3 kg at a time.

Again, what Apsara said - budget about 2000 yen a day if you eat out most of the time. And mind your health - you will need to supplement fruit and veg to get adequate nutrition. I met a woman who subsisted on bentos and cheap standup food and it put her in hospital with a vitamin defficiency.

[torontogirl88]

I probably won't eat out ALL the time. I exaggerated a bit there. But, I really do enjoy eating at restaurants, and I see my self eating out a few times a week.

I'm worried I won't have enough money for food. Oh well, I'll just lose a few pounds As long as there's some places with sushi that's affordable, I'm good. ps. I definitely know there is A LOT more to Japanese cuisine than sushi, but sushi is definitely my favourite thing in the world and soft shell crab... yumm!! and miso cod!!! ok, I'll stop here .. I can go on and on!

[Glenski]

re:brown rice
Ever seen one of these before? Perhaps they offer what you want.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rice_vending_machine.jpg

[sabina]

[ssjup81]

I, usually, only spend about 4000 ~ 5000 yen a week on groceries. I usually stick to stuff like chicken breast, fish, broccoli, carrots, onion, eggs, milk, fruit (mostly apples), cheese, rice (but I usually get a 2kg bag, and that can last me about two to three weeks), sometimes curry, etc.

I tend to go overboard, though, if I go to a conbini. I always end up spending close to 1000 yen for "convenient foods" or snacks, then again, I guess it balances out since I don't do it often, and it usually lasts a while.

[Sweetsee]

We spend between �1000-�1500 a day to feed a family of five.