Why currency swings made Tokyo cheap and Tel Aviv pricey
Sunday 19th July, 2026
Deutsche Bank finds a weak yen has made Tokyo much cheaper for visitors, while a strong shekel and local supply issues pushed Tel Aviv’s costs — including a $20.90 McMeal — to global highs.
This gives Wise a chance to talk about the real-world impact of exchange rates and low‑cost international transfers for customers sending money to or from Israel and Japan (and in the UK/Europe).
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Why have we flagged this?
Exchange-rate driven shifts in city costs directly affect cross-border spend and travel remittances — Wise can provide transaction data and customer FX trends to illustrate impacts.
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Expert comment
Currencies, not menus, made Tel Aviv pricey and Tokyo cheap
Wise’s economist explains that FX moves drive the biggest swings in everyday prices for travellers and expats, and how to hedge them day to day.
Expert comment angle: Offer broadcast-ready commentary to BBC, FT, CNBC: “FX is now the dominant driver of your coffee-and-burger bill, not local inflation,” with specific tips on timing conversions and holding multiple currencies.
Why: A sharp, contrarian line reframes cost-of-living coverage from inflation to FX, giving reporters a clean quote and practical angle.
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Newsjack angle: Spin up a lightweight dashboard using anonymised, aggregated Wise card spend to display average meal cost by city and currency; pitch to travel and business desks.
Why: A timely, usable tool that tracks a viral topic gives journalists an embed-friendly resource and positions Wise as the go-to on real-world FX effects.