THE SHOPPING EDITTopic studyJapan × Taiwan
Is It Worth Stocking Up on MUJI Stationery in Japan? Comparing 4 Items, the Pen Refill Is Cheaper in Taiwan
A single pen may look like it costs only a few hundred yen, but the whole basket at checkout isn't always a bargain. This piece breaks down 4 MUJI stationery items: which are worth grabbing along the way, which is cheaper in Taiwan, and what ¥1,000 can buy.
On this page · 9 sections
- Verdict
- Check the Actual Savings First, Not Just the Yen Figure
- A ¥1,000 Budget: Three Items You Need Beat a Bag of Grab-Alongs
- A Counterexample With the Refill: Even a Japanese Brand Can Be Cheaper in Taiwan
- Good for a Quick Restock — When Should You Just Buy It in Taiwan Instead?
- The gap in one chart
- Price table
- FAQ
- Sources
01 · Verdict
4 same-item comparisonsOf these 4 items, 3 are lower after converting the Japan price, but a regular pen and notebook differ by only about NT$3-4. The erasable 3-color pen has a bigger gap of about NT$67 and is worth checking first; the orange 0.3mm refill is actually cheaper in Taiwan. If you're already browsing MUJI, restock the stationery you need — it's usually not worth an extra stop for a few-dollar gap.
- The erasable 3-color pen differs by about NT$67; a regular pen and weekly planner differ by only about NT$3-4.
- The three example items total ¥930 — this isn't an official bundle, and it excludes the tax refund.
- The orange 0.3mm refill has a lower list price in Taiwan — compare refills item by item.
This piece was compiled on 2026-09-16, using prices verified in both markets on 2026-09-11 to 12 and the Bank of Taiwan spot selling rate on 2026-09-10 (1 JPY = NT$0.2076); prices were not re-checked on the publish date. The body compares list prices as sourced, excluding tax refunds, card fees, and shipping; see the comparison table for each retailer, spec, and date. This is data analysis, not hands-on testing or a market-wide lowest-price survey.
Check the Actual Savings First, Not Just the Yen Figure
Browsing a MUJI store in Japan, it's easy to toss a ¥120 pen and notebook into the basket together. Converted to NT dollars, that's about NT$25 each — genuinely not expensive — but whether to stock up should still come down to what the same item normally sells for in Taiwan. Here, the Japan side uses MUJI's official price; on the Taiwan side, three items use MUJI's official price and the three-color pen uses a momo price, with the retailer listed separately for each.
- Black 0.3mm Retractable Smooth Gel Ink Pen: ¥120 in Japan, about NT$25; NT$29 in Taiwan — buying in Japan saves NT$4. The Japan source is MUJI's official Japan online store (2026-09-12), and the Taiwan source is MUJI's official Taiwan online store (2026-09-12).
- A5 Weekly Notebook, 32 Sheets: Japan ¥120, about NT$25; Taiwan NT$28, buying in Japan saves NT$3. Japan source: MUJI Japan official online store (2026-09-12); Taiwan source: MUJI Taiwan official online store (2026-09-12).
- Erasable 3-Color Ballpoint Pen, 0.5mm: ¥690 in Japan, about NT$143; NT$210 in Taiwan — buying in Japan saves NT$67. The Japan source is MUJI's official Japan online store (2026-09-12), and the Taiwan source is momo (2026-09-12).
- Orange 0.3mm Smooth Gel Ink Refill: ¥90 in Japan, about NT$19; NT$15 in Taiwan — buying in Taiwan saves NT$4. The Japan source is MUJI's official Japan online store (2026-09-12), and the Taiwan source is MUJI's official Taiwan online store (2026-09-12).
A ¥1,000 Budget: Three Items You Need Beat a Bag of Grab-Alongs
Say you need one erasable 3-color pen, one black gel-ink pen, and one A5 weekly planner: the three items' source list prices total ¥930, about NT$193; the same items in Taiwan total NT$267, a gap of about NT$74. This is a sample budget for buying one of each item, not a store bundle, and it doesn't factor in tax-free.
Whether it's worth bringing back still comes down to whether you'll actually use it. The weekly planner suits people who already keep paper records; if you only need one everyday pen, just buy that one — there's no need to round out to three items just to use up a budget.
A Counterexample With the Refill: Even a Japanese Brand Can Be Cheaper in Taiwan
For this orange 0.3mm refill, Japan's ¥90 converts to about NT$19, while Taiwan is just NT$15. The gap is small, but it's a reminder: even within the same brand and the same store, each item's price structure differs, so you can't apply one pen's price gap to the whole stationery wall.
This orange refill and the earlier full black pen are different items. This article compares each of them separately against its own matching version in both places, and does not treat different colors, refills, and pen bodies as the same item. When buying a refill, also confirm it fits the pen body you already have.
Good for a Quick Restock — When Should You Just Buy It in Taiwan Instead?
If the 3-color pen was already on your list, check the Japan price first; the savings on the black gel-ink pen and the weekly planner are small, so if MUJI isn't on your itinerary, just buy them in Taiwan. Refills should be checked individually by your usual color and tip size — no need to stock up on a lot at once.
Before buying, reopen the product page to recheck the price and stock status. This comparison uses the September 12 list prices, which are not guaranteed to still hold on your travel date; if you use paid shipping, the price gap on small stationery items can easily be eaten up by the shipping fee.
The gap in one chart
- MUJI 可擦拭三色原子筆(按壓式・0.5mm)Save NT$67
- MUJI Refillable Retractable…Save NT$4
- MUJI Weekly Notebook, 32…Save NT$3
- MUJI Refillable Smooth Gel…Taiwan cheaper NT$4
amounts are converted list prices, without tax-free, card fees or shipping. Full figures are in the table below.

¥690 ≈ NT$143 · Taiwan NT$21032% cheaper in Japan

¥120 ≈ NT$25 · Taiwan NT$2914% cheaper in Japan

¥120 ≈ NT$25 · Taiwan NT$2811% cheaper in Japan

¥90 ≈ NT$19 · Taiwan NT$1525% cheaper in Taiwan
Price table(4 items)
| Product | Japan list | Converted | Taiwan list | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¥120MUJI Japan official online store | NT$25 | NT$29MUJI 台灣官方網路商店 | 14.1% cheaper in JapanNT$4 ·checked 2026-09-12 | |
| ¥90MUJI Japan official online store | NT$19 | NT$15MUJI 台灣官方網路商店 | 24.6% cheaper in TaiwanNT$4 ·checked 2026-09-12 | |
| ¥120MUJI Japan official online store | NT$25 | NT$28MUJI 台灣官方網路商店 | 11.0% cheaper in JapanNT$3 ·checked 2026-09-12 | |
| ¥690MUJI Japan official online store | NT$143 | NT$210momo購物網 | 31.8% cheaper in JapanNT$67 ·checked 2026-09-12 |
FX: Bank of Taiwan 2026-09-10 spot selling JPY/TWD 0.2076, USD/TWD 31.625.The table excludes tax-free and fees; tax-free estimates follow each product’s stated basis and rate, see the product page.
FAQ
- Is every piece of MUJI stationery cheaper in Japan?
- No. Of the 4 items snapshotted here, 3 have a lower converted Japan list price, while the orange 0.3mm refill is lower in Taiwan; this doesn't represent the ratio across all MUJI stationery.
- Can you buy the ¥930 set directly from the store?
- This is a budget example of buying one each of three items, not a store bundle. Check the price, spec, and stock on each product page.
09 · Sources
Ranks, prices and FX keep their source links and check dates; the piece is written with the TravPrice comparison method and has no hands-on review or test score.
- Listed prices
- Japan and Taiwan official or channel list prices for 4 productsChecked through 2026-09-18; each source link is in the price table and product page.
- FX
- Bank of Taiwan FX ↗Bank of Taiwan spot selling reference rate; the US dollar is cross-converted · JPY/TWD 0.2076 · USD/TWD 31.625 · 2026-09-10 23:22:00 (Taiwan time)
- Published and updated
- This piece was compiled on 2026-09-16, using prices verified in both markets on 2026-09-11 to 12 and the Bank of Taiwan spot selling rate on 2026-09-10 (1 JPY = NT$0.2076); prices were not re-checked on the publish date. The body compares list prices as sourced, excluding tax refunds, card fees, and shipping; see the comparison table for each retailer, spec, and date. This is data analysis, not hands-on testing or a market-wide lowest-price survey.
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