Doraemon manga explores Nobita's 500 yen monthly allowance

In the long-running manga series Doraemon, which debuted in 1969, the character Nobita receives a monthly allowance of 500 yen from his mother. This specific amount is noted in the volume 22 story ‘The Tax-Collecting Bird’.

According to Japanese reading guides, 500 yen was a relatively common monthly allowance for elementary school students in the late 1970s. The series uses this amount to explore relatable childhood themes, such as Nobita's dissatisfaction when comparing his allowance to Suneo's, or his attempts to save for specific items like a 500-yen model through Doraemon's gadgets.