Fukuoka vs Hoi An

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.

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.

Hoi An, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Hoi An

71Freedom Score#43Global rank$1,050Per month

A UNESCO lantern-lit old town between rice paddies and the river — Vietnam's most picturesque base, with 45-day visa-free and rock-bottom costs.

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.

ExpenseFukuokaHoi An
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,600$1,050✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$500$400✓
Meal, mid-range$10$6✓
Coworking deskper month$180$100✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper64.040.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureFukuokaHoi An
Safety
85
82
Healthcare
90
48
Walkability
85
88
English spoken
42
35
Food & dining
90
82
Nightlife
65
45
Outdoors
58
70
Nomad community
58
58
Climate quality
60
75
Public transit
95
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureFukuokaHoi An
Freedom Score73/100✓71/100
Global rankof 100 cities#37✓#43
Internet100 Mbps✓45 Mbps
Average temperature63°F79°F
Air quality30/10040/100✓
Airport connectivity78/100✓35/100
Nomad visa90 days free45 days free
Headline tax rateon local income20%20%

Which should you choose?

Choose Fukuoka if internet is faster at 100 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (85 vs 82) and English is more widely spoken.

Choose Hoi An if runs $550/mo cheaper, rent is $100/mo lower, it is more walkable and the climate scores better.

What each city is known for

Fukuoka

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

Hoi An

  • UNESCO old town of lanterns and tailors
  • 45-day visa-free for Westerners
  • Among the cheapest nomad towns
  • Rice paddies and river beaches

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Fukuoka or Hoi An?
Fukuoka scores higher on the Freedom Score (73/100 against 71/100), 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: Fukuoka or Hoi An?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $1,600, a difference of $550 a month or about $6,600 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $500/mo in Fukuoka versus $400/mo in Hoi An.
Which is safer: Fukuoka or Hoi An?
Fukuoka scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 82/100. 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 Fukuoka and Hoi An?
Fukuoka averages 100 Mbps and Hoi An averages 45 Mbps, so Fukuoka has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Fukuoka or Hoi An?
Fukuoka sits in Japan (90 days free) and Hoi An in Vietnam (45 days free). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
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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.