A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tel Aviv vs. Sendai for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tel Aviv or Sendai?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tel Aviv or Sendai, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Tel Aviv or Sendai?

Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel and is situated on the Mediterranean coast 60 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It's a rapidly growing city and is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Israel. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo because the city has grown to include the ancient port city of Yafo. If you're looking for an embassy, you are likely to find it in Tel Aviv, despite Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.

Sendai

Sendai, Japan is located in the Toohoku region on the main Honshu island. It is often referred to as "Forest City" due to the large amount of green space throughout the city and the tree filled parks and public spaces. Sendai is a very pleasant city to visit; they are in close proximity to both mountains and the sea and have many large universities throughout the city, making it a popular college town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Israel, The Best 3-Day Tours from Jerusalem, The Best 10-Day Tours from Tokyo, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo.


Which place is cheaper, Sendai or Tel Aviv?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tel Aviv is $179, while the average daily cost in Sendai is $133. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tel Aviv and Sendai in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tel Aviv $97
    Sendai $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tel Aviv $194
    Sendai $122
Compare Hotels in Tel Aviv and Sendai

Looking for a hotel in Tel Aviv or Sendai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Tel Aviv


Hotels in Sendai


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Tel Aviv Hotel Prices and Sendai Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tel Aviv $9.78
    Sendai $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tel Aviv

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tel Aviv are as follows:


  • Local Bus to Central Bus Station
    $1.77
  • Taxi to Airport
    $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tel Aviv

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tel Aviv:

  • transfer from bengurion airport to Jerusalem : $200
  • Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
  • Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
  • Tel Aviv to Jerusalem - Private Intercity Transfers: $80
  • Tel Aviv Private Transfer to Tel Aviv Airport TLV in Business Car: $299
  • Tel Aviv Private Transfer To Amman: $215
  • Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private transfer to Tel Aviv in Luxury Van: $299
  • Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private Transfer to Tel Aviv in Business Car: $299
  • Tel Aviv Airport Private Transfer To Jerusalem : $80
  • Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv Hotels - Private Transfer: $89
  • Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv Hotels - Private Transfer: $43
  • Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) to Tel Aviv - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $105

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sendai

Also for Sendai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Odawara to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) -Departure Private Transfer: $103
  • Private Transfer from Sendai Airport to Sendai City: $187
  • Sendai City: Private transfer to/from Sendai Airport: $88

Is it cheaper to fly into Tel Aviv or Sendai?

Prices for flights to both Sendai and Tel Aviv change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Tel Aviv $54
    Sendai $58
Typical Food Prices in Tel Aviv

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tel Aviv:


  • Dinner for Two
    $25
  • Dinner for 2 at Vatroshka
    $146
  • Lunch at Segev Sarona
    $38
  • Aroma Iced Coffee
    $4.20
  • Lunch at the airport
    $35

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tel Aviv

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tel Aviv.

  • Carmel Market Food Tour: $49
  • Levinsky Market Food Tour : $130
  • Try Your Hand At Israeli Home Cooking: $185

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sendai

For Sendai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Local Food Tour in Shiogama, Japan Top Tuna and Sushi Town: $135
  • Michinoku Coastal Trail Sake Tasting with Dinner: $143

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tel Aviv $26
    Sendai $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tel Aviv

Here are a few typical costs in Tel Aviv for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Masada tour from Tel Aviv
    $88
  • Etzel museum
    $4.50

Tours and Activities in Tel Aviv

Here are a few actual costs in Tel Aviv for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Carmel Market Tour: $200
  • Self-guided Graffiti tour in Tel Aviv in your own time and your own pace: $24
  • (From Tel Aviv) One-day Tour Bethlehem, Jericho & Jordan River / Qasr alyahood: $109
  • 1-Day Tour Jerusalem and the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv: $129
  • 30-minute Sightseeing Cruise of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Skyline : $29
  • Best of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Walking Tour - 1 Day: $99
  • Bethlehem, Jericho & Jordan River Tour from Tel Aviv: $119
  • Bethlehem, Jerusalem Desert and Monasteries Tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: $100
  • Caesarea, Haifa And Akko Tour: $99
  • Carmel Market Highlights Tour A Culinary Journey in Tel Aviv: $60
  • City tour Tel-Aviv-Yafo : $200
  • Daily Shuttle Tour - From Tel-Aviv & Jerusalem to Petra: $115

Tours and Activities in Sendai

For Sendai, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Catch and Dine A Gourmet Fishing Experience in Miyagi: $24
  • Sendai and Matsushima Private Tour with Licensed Guide: $101
  • Local Foodie Tour, wander around the gourmet town: $120
  • Afternoon Cycling Tour in Naruko: $151

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tel Aviv $24
    Sendai $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Tel Aviv

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tel Aviv:

  • Guided Pub Crawl Night Tour at Tel Aviv: $24


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tel Aviv and Sendai, we can see that Tel Aviv is more expensive. And not only is Sendai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tel Aviv is in Middle East and Sendai is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Sendai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sendai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Tel Aviv would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tel Aviv than you might in Sendai.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tel Aviv Expensive? and Is Sendai Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tel Aviv or Sendai?

Sendai has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Tel Aviv. When comparing the sizes of Tel Aviv and Sendai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.