Translation guide
This English proverb means that cheap things are often of poor quality, while expensive things tend to be better. In Japanese, there is no single fixed phrase that matches exactly, but several expressions and patterns convey similar ideas.
To express that low price implies low quality, or that you shouldn't expect much from something cheap.
A common proverb literally meaning 'buying cheap things loses money'. It warns that cheap purchases often end up costing more in the long run because they break or are useless.
この靴、すぐに壊れちゃった。安物買いの銭失いだね。
These shoes broke right away. You get what you pay for, I guess.
A set phrase meaning 'if it's cheap, it's probably bad'. It directly states the correlation between low price and low quality.
このイヤホン、音が悪いな。安かろう悪かろうだ。
These earphones sound terrible. You get what you pay for.
A flexible pattern meaning 'cheap things are only so-so'. You can replace 安いもの with other nouns.
このアプリ、無料だけど広告が多い。安いものはそれなりだね。
This app is free but has lots of ads. You get what you pay for.
To express that the quality or value of something is proportional to its cost, without necessarily implying it's bad.
Means 'commensurate with the price'. It can be used neutrally or positively, indicating that something is worth its price.
このレストランは高いけど、味は値段相応だよ。
This restaurant is expensive, but the taste is worth the price.
Literally 'has value appropriate to the price'. It acknowledges that the quality matches what you paid.
このホテルは値段なりの価値があると思う。
I think this hotel gives you what you pay for.
To express resignation or acceptance that something free or cheap will have limitations.
A proverb meaning 'nothing is more expensive than something free'. It warns that free things often come with hidden costs or drawbacks.
無料セミナーに行ったら、結局高い教材を買わされた。ただより高いものはないね。
I went to a free seminar and ended up buying expensive materials. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Means 'it's free, so it can't be helped'. Used to accept the limitations of something free.
このアプリ、機能が少ないけど無料だから仕方ないね。
This app has few features, but it's free, so you get what you pay for.
安物買いの銭失い focuses on the long-term financial loss from buying cheap items, while 安かろう悪かろう simply states that cheap things are bad. The former is more proverbial and often used as a warning; the latter is a direct observation.
Both それなり and 相応 (そうおう) mean 'appropriate' or 'commensurate'. それなり is more casual and often implies 'just okay', while 相応 is more neutral and can be used in formal contexts.