Yet, that’s not what happened; inflation has been higher in the US. In Japan, you can get a good bowl of ramen for $6. In an American city, today, including tax and tip you’d probably pay more like $20 for something likely worse.
I’d be unsurprised if you could get a jar of peanut butter or a turkey in the US for a lot less than you could in Japan. This tells you nothing about the economy.
Non-instant ramen (or peanut butter) is vastly more popular in one country than another. Comparing the prices between the US and Japan is trying to compare the prices of a specialty food and a common food. Of course the prices will be different.
If they are, that link doesn’t show it. First of all, it doesn’t show Japanese prices at all. Second, even though it claims to “reflect restaurants of all sizes and segments”, it doesn’t, because a burger at McDonald’s or Wendy’s is not $16 and they obviously excluded fast food restaurants. How much is a burger in Japan if you exclude fast food?
I’d be unsurprised if you could get a jar of peanut butter or a turkey in the US for a lot less than you could in Japan. This tells you nothing about the economy.
Non-instant ramen (or peanut butter) is vastly more popular in one country than another. Comparing the prices between the US and Japan is trying to compare the prices of a specialty food and a common food. Of course the prices will be different.
How about burgers at restaurants, then? They’re more expensive in America too.
If they are, that link doesn’t show it. First of all, it doesn’t show Japanese prices at all. Second, even though it claims to “reflect restaurants of all sizes and segments”, it doesn’t, because a burger at McDonald’s or Wendy’s is not $16 and they obviously excluded fast food restaurants. How much is a burger in Japan if you exclude fast food?