Cinema prices - a world comparison

Maciamo

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I'd like to ask you all how much you pay for a cinema ticket where you live or places you know.

In Japan, as harmony must prevail, prices seem to be the same everywhere. No matter if you watch a new blockbuster in upmarket Ginza or a minor production in a remote suburb, that you live in Osaka or in the country, you'll pay the standard 1800yen (have I been told). The cinema in itself may be small, old and filthy or huge, brand new and comfortable, you'll pay 1800yen.

But there are a few ways to enter cheaper than that. You can buy a discouted ticket in a combini or special ticket shop, or better, go for a late show (9pm !:mad: ) and pay "only" 1000 or 1200 yen. You can also get a discout if you are a (Japanese) highschool student (doesn't work if you are studying outside Japan), come the 1st of the month or on Wednesday if you are female.


Let's now compare the prices with other places in the world.

In London, a ticket usually cost between 4 and 6.5 pounds (700 to 1200yen), but can be as much as 12 pounds (+-2000yen) in places like Leicester Square or Picadilly Circus. The big advantage is that you can buy a monthly ticket for 20 pounds with unlimited access to any UGC cinemas. UGC, actually a French company, has branches in 6 EU countries : France, UK, Ireland, Belgium, Italy and Spain. That's interesting for the comparison of prices inside Western Europe.

I checked the French UGC site ; a normal ticket in central Paris is 8,8 euros (6,5 to 8,2 in the suburbs) and from 5,5 to 7,5 in other regions of France, the cheapest being Marseille and the most expensive Strassbourg, Bordeaux and Nantes). But if you buy a 5 or 7 ticket card, it's less than 5 euros/film anywhere and 16,5 euros for a one-month unlimited ticket (that's about the same as just one film in Tokyo !).

In Brussels, a ticket is about 6,5 euros.
In the rest of Belgium, you'd pay from 4 to 7 euros for a ticket.

The main difference between Europe and Japan is that every cinema (company) has its own prices, so even two cinema in the same city, 100m away from each other may charges different prices. The reason of price harmony in Japan is that there are only 2 cinema companies, which apparently work closely together.

Eastern Europe, Spain and Portugal are the cheapest places to watch a movie in Europe (usually from 2 to 4 euros) and UK the most expensive.

Having travelled a lot in Asia, I know more or less what it cost in some countries :

The cheapest country I have been to was India. I have had a ticket for something like 0,4 euro, though the average is double (hum, still less than a euro). There are always different price for front seats, middle/back seats and balcony. Most of the movies showing are Indian ones (Bollywood, etc.), I haven't seen any Western one. I guess upper-class people have access to some special cinemas with all the latest American blockbusters.

Nevertheless, Hollywood that dominate the scene in South East Asia. In Bangkok, the average ticket cost about 2 or 3 euros. It's about double in Singapore. In Manilla, prices vary with the quality of the theatre itsef, from under 2 euros to 4 euros in modern shopping centers. Indonesia has less Western production (usually 1 or 2 year-old ones, but some recent in Jakarta) and lots of soft porn cinemas (oddly enough for a Muslim country, with no age limit ; children enter freely). It's as cheap as in India, but with all ticket the same price.

In Australia, film were quite cheap ; about 4 euros if I remember well.

What is is like in the States and other places (Brazil, Turquey...) ?
 
Nice topic.
How about adding concessions to this thread?
Japan allows you bring in what you want basically. Except for the Warner Theaters which take you for a ride on ticket prices and for concessions.
We have Ladies Day were women can get in at 1,000 yen in Sapporo and so do those who are over 60. The rest of us pay the 1,800 yen ... ughhh
 
Moscow prices.

In Moscow tickets are about 3-4 USD for movies starting before 1800. After 1800 they're about 4-8 USD. Can be a bit cheaper if a cinema isn't in the city center. All the cinemas are good quality.
 
@ slight tangent

Since Japanese prices are so expensive most theaters experience only a rush on a film when it first starts showing in town, after that, the theaters are barren with 10-15% capacity at most when ever I go it seems. Not a problem for me since that means I get seats that I like and I can spread out easier and not have to worry about some bloke kicking my chair during the film.

No, I don't think they'll drop prices to increase attendance for a long time.
 
That's true ! There is a large cinema complex near where I live and, eventhough it's the only one around, it's usually empty at the 9pm show (1200yen for everyone - should attract crowds, but doesn't). They really should lower the prices. Surveys have shown that most Japanese people find cinema overpriced and only go once every 3 or 6 months in average. I used to see all th film showing when I was a student (about 400-500yen/ticket) or when I was travelling around Asia and Australia. It took me 8 month to see my first film in a theatre in Japan.

@Namashibori
I am surprised that Moscow is so expensive after 6pm (more than most Western European cities). That's also funny that some countries like Russia, the UK, etc have higher prices the evening, while in Japan, it's the opposite (from 9pm).
 
Maciamo said:
It took me 8 month to see my first film in a theatre in Japan.
Same here. I've only seen two movies in a year that I have spent in Japan. Not surprising really, if you look at the price of a ticket and the fact that you can rent a video from as low as 120 yen/week! That's what I did most of the time. Just rent a vid.
 
;) marketing research is non-existant in japan. Also, the industry sets the price and most toe in line with the rest even if it means they'll go bankrupt eventually.

If I only had money ....
 
Not surprising really, if you look at the price of a ticket and the fact that you can rent a video from as low as 120 yen/week! That's what I did most of the time. Just rent a vid.

Tell me where you get video that cheap ! Bellwood make me pay 350yen for a week for old movies and the same price for 1day for the new ones (up to 450yen+tax for 2days !). I feel I am being cheated here.
 
Maciamo said:
Tell me where you get video that cheap !
The place is in Kyoto, near Saiin station. It's called "The Pit", so if you are ever around there check it out. Saiin's a good place. :)
 
Intersting topic! :cool:

1) Here in Brazil, the tickets cost around 10 to 15 reais (R$ - local currency), it depends on the day/time and on the company/movie complex. The weekdays afternoon is when you pay the cheapest value, and the weekend night is the most expensive choice if you wanna go to the movies!

2) The current exchange rate is approximately R$3.90/USD1.00, but due to the election for president, it may oscilate quite a bit at least for the next 3-4 months.
So... the ticket costs now from USD 2.60 ~ USD 3.85.

3) The price for renting a DVD here is about half of the movie ticket. Renting a VHS is cheaper, but I don't know exactly the value...!
 
Romania and Israel cinema ticket prices August 2014

Romania: 10 Lei about 3 US$ - latest blockbusters good quality cinemas free seating (saw Lucy with Scarlet Johansson recently)
Israel: 38 NIS about 11 US$ for regular movies (not 3D) - good quality cinemas
 
15 USD in Calgary Canada
 
Prices have gone up quite a bit since I posted this thread 12 years ago. In Brussels the average price has jumped from 6.5€ to 10€ - a 50% increase. In London, prices nearly doubled to 10£. The increase in Paris was more moderate, from 8.8€ to 11€. In Tokyo the price hasn't changed at all for 2D (1,800 yen, about 13€ or $18), but they found a way of charging more for films in 3D (2,200 yen).
 
15 USD in Calgary Canada

The USD is low now, so at current exchange rates i is about the same price as in Brussels or Paris. But the 12-year average exchange rate USD/EUR is close to parity, so I'd say that Calgary is expensive by international standards.
 
15 USD in Calgary Canada

What? Are you folks in Alberta using American dollars now? Why? And why are cinema tickets so expensive there?

A cinema ticket here in a medium sized town in Ontario is $10.99 Cdn. That's the equivalent of about $10 US or 7.5 Euros at today's exchange rate. Although the average price for a ticket in Toronto appears to be $12.50 Cdn, judging from a quick look on the net.
 
I usually see the first movie of the day (10:00 am showing - non IMAX and 3D ). It is in a state of the art AMC theater (personal large reclining seats). It cost me $6.50 USD. It jumps to $8.00 after the first showing. 3D movies are $13.25, and IMAX are $15.25. Nobody goes to the first morning movie, so it is a perfect deal, no crowds and cheap. I'm in Colorado. It's the concessions that get you. I pay on average $12.00 for food (a md drink and sm popcorn). My theater serves beer for $9.00 for a 16oz cup. Don't judge me, it's the only time I drink at 9:30 in the morning :)!
 

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