Bali vs Fukuoka

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Bali, Indonesia
🇮🇩Indonesia

Bali

83Freedom Score#11Global rank$1,200Per month

Bali combines spiritual beauty, a world-leading coworking scene, and low cost of living into one of the most beloved nomad islands on earth.

Fukuoka, Japan
🇯🇵Japan

Fukuoka

73Freedom Score#37Global rank$1,600Per month

Japan's most livable city — compact, green, and affordable by Japanese standards, with legendary ramen, a startup boom, and 90-day visa-free access.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseBaliFukuoka
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,200✓$1,600
Rent, 1BR city centre$900$500✓
Meal, mid-range$3✓$10
Coworking deskper month$150✓$180
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper35.4✓64.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureBaliFukuoka
Safety
70
85
Healthcare
60
90
Walkability
60
85
English spoken
75
42
Food & dining
80
90
Nightlife
80
65
Outdoors
92
58
Nomad community
100
58
Climate quality
80
60
Public transit
80
95

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureBaliFukuoka
Freedom Score83/100✓73/100
Global rankof 100 cities#11✓#37
Internet100 Mbps100 Mbps
Average temperature82°F63°F
Air quality70/100✓30/100
Airport connectivity70/10078/100✓
Nomad visa60 days90 days free
Headline tax rateon local income10%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Bali if runs $400/mo cheaper, English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better and the nomad community is larger.

Choose Fukuoka if rent is $400/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (85 vs 70) and it is more walkable.

What each city is known for

Bali

  • Biggest coworking density of any island on the planet
  • 0% tax on foreign-sourced income for most nomads
  • Massive global nomad community — instant social circle
  • Canggu & Seminyak: luxury villa lifestyle at startup prices

Fukuoka

  • Most livable big city in Japan
  • Legendary Hakata ramen scene
  • 90-day visa-free for Western passports
  • Growing startup and coworking hub

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Bali or Fukuoka?
Bali scores higher on the Freedom Score (83/100 against 73/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Bali or Fukuoka?
Bali is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,200 against $1,600, a difference of $400 a month or about $4,800 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $900/mo in Bali versus $500/mo in Fukuoka.
Which is safer: Bali or Fukuoka?
Fukuoka scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 70/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Bali and Fukuoka?
Bali averages 100 Mbps and Fukuoka averages 100 Mbps — effectively the same.
What visa would I need for Bali or Fukuoka?
Bali sits in Indonesia (60 days) and Fukuoka in Japan (90 days free). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.