The most expensive bowl of ramen we can document is Gumshara’s “Rags to Riches” in Sydney, valued at about 400 dollars, made with 5 kg of lobster heads in the broth and a tempura lobster tail on top. There is a catch: it was a prize in an October 2020 video-game promotion and was never sold to the public. Among bowls with a menu price, the highest we found is Koa’s Kobe wagyu ramen in Manhattan, reported at US$180 in 2016. Prices below are as reported on the dates shown, and we say where one could be out of date.
| Rank | Bowl | Price | City | Date of the price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gumshara “Rags to Riches” | about 400 dollars (contest prize) | Sydney | Oct 2020 |
| 2 | Koa Kobe wagyu ramen | US$180 | Manhattan | May 2016 |
| 3 | Mashi no Mashi Wagyujiro | 11,000 yen | Tokyo (Roppongi) | 2024 report |
| 4 | Ikkakuya “Senkin Ramen” | 10,000 yen (US$66 at the time) | Tokyo (Shinjuku) | Nov 2023 |
1. Gumshara, Sydney: about 400 dollars
The broth took about 10 kg of pork bones and 5 kg of lobster heads. The garnish was a whole lobster with a tempura-fried tail and a golden dragon head, over noodles with soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, spring onion and gold-leaf nori. Gumshara made it to promote the game Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and it was given away as a prize to one New South Wales winner who entered through Xbox ANZ’s Twitter account, with entries open until 10 November 2020.
Valuation: the publicly stated price of about 400 dollars, which the Australian report gives without a currency, so we read it as Australian dollars. It is a valuation of a one-off, not a menu price, and we rank it first for that reason only.
2. Koa, Manhattan: US$180
Koa, in New York’s Flatiron District, served a Kobe Wagyu Ramen in a pork, chicken, dried shrimp, dried scallop and konbu broth, topped with grilled Kobe beef steaks, black truffles, 24-karat gold leaf and asparagus. A May 2016 report called it the world’s most expensive ramen at US$180, ahead of a Tokyo bowl at US$120 by chef Shoichi Fujimaki.
Basis: the price reported in May 2016. We could not confirm that Koa still serves it or at that price.
3. Mashi no Mashi, Roppongi: 11,000 yen
The Wagyujiro is a reservable all-wagyu ramen, with a broth from Kobe ribs and thigh bones simmered for about 20 hours. The restaurant’s own menu page lists the dish. A 2024 report put it at 11,000 yen, but the menu page shows no yen price, so check the current rate when you book.
Valued at: the yen price reported in 2024, left in yen because exchange rates move.
4. Ikkakuya, Shinjuku: 10,000 yen
In November 2023 the Ikkakuya branch on Yasukuni Street in Shinjuku offered the “Ikkaku Senkin Ramen” from 6 to 27 November, served in a golden bowl with gold-coloured chopsticks and spoon, a gold seaweed sheet, a seasoned egg, pork belly and gold leaf. Its regular price for the run was 10,000 yen, about US$66 at the time, though a launch discount cut it to 1,980 yen until 19 November. Only 10 bowls were made a day.
Method: the 10,000 yen full price stated for the limited run, with the dollar figure from the same report.
Also priced: a booked Tokyo wagyu bowl
A tour platform sells an A5 wagyu ramen with truffle oil and gold flakes, made by Marue Chuka Soba, as a booked experience at about US$100. We could not open the listing this session, so we do not rank it.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
We found no new record bowl. The trend in 2026 is the opposite. In August 2026 a Tokyo chain, Mita Seimenjo in Kabukicho, launched a limited “Wagyu Ramen” for tourists with A5 wagyu, raw yolk and tableside truffle at only 2,380 yen (about US$16).
What drives these prices
- Meat and shellfish. A5 wagyu and lobster set the cost long before the noodles do.
- Gold leaf. It adds almost no flavor, and plenty of margin.
- Limited runs. Bowls made in tens per day are marketed as events, often for social media.
- Tourists. Premium bowls are aimed at visitors who pay more than locals would.
The habits that let people afford this
Short audio lessons on money, mindset and discipline, in the Alux app.
Get the Alux app →FAQ
What is the most expensive ramen in the world?
Gumshara’s “Rags to Riches” in Sydney, priced at about 400 dollars, probably Australian, in October 2020. It was a prize in a game promotion and was not sold.
What is the most expensive ramen you can order?
Of the bowls we could document, Koa’s Kobe wagyu ramen in Manhattan at US$180 was the highest reported menu price, in a May 2016 report. In Tokyo, Mashi no Mashi’s Wagyujiro was reported at 11,000 yen in 2024.
How much does normal ramen cost?
A 2018 Tokyo report described about 1,000 yen as the usual ceiling for a sit-down bowl in Japan in 2018, so these bowls cost many times a regular one.
Is gold leaf ramen real?
Yes. Edible gold leaf is a garnish on several of these bowls, including the Koa and Ikkakuya ones. It adds sparkle, not flavor.
Can you eat the Koa ramen today?
We could not confirm that it is still on the menu or at that price. Call the restaurant before you go.
Is expensive ramen worth it?
The cost is mostly meat, shellfish and novelty. A good regular bowl costs a fraction of any of these.
How we put this list together
We ranked bowls by the highest price documented in a dated report of that bowl, a restaurant menu or a promotion. Prices are approximate, use the exchange rate stated at the time, and change over time.
Last updated: October 2026.
