Fukuoka vs Siargao

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.

Siargao, Philippines
🇵🇭Philippines

Siargao

66Freedom Score#62Global rank$1,000Per month

The Philippines' surf-island paradise — Cloud 9 waves, palm-fringed lagoons, and a tight island-nomad community with an easy 30-day visa.

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.

ExpenseFukuokaSiargao
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,600$1,000✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$500$350✓
Meal, mid-range$10$7✓
Coworking deskper month$180✓$190
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.

MeasureFukuokaSiargao
Safety
85
62
Healthcare
90
38
Walkability
85
45
English spoken
42
80
Food & dining
90
58
Nightlife
65
62
Outdoors
58
38
Nomad community
58
68
Climate quality
60
72
Public transit
95
30

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureFukuokaSiargao
Freedom Score73/100✓66/100
Global rankof 100 cities#37✓#62
Internet100 Mbps✓35 Mbps
Average temperature63°F82°F
Air quality30/10030/100
Airport connectivity78/100✓32/100
Nomad visa90 days free30 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 62) and it is more walkable.

Choose Siargao if runs $600/mo cheaper, rent is $150/mo lower, English is more widely spoken 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

Siargao

  • Cloud 9: Philippines' surf capital
  • Palm islands, lagoons, island-hopping
  • Tight nomad and surfer community
  • Laid-back island life

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Fukuoka or Siargao?
Fukuoka scores higher on the Freedom Score (73/100 against 66/100), 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 Siargao?
Siargao is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,000 against $1,600, a difference of $600 a month or about $7,200 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $500/mo in Fukuoka versus $350/mo in Siargao.
Which is safer: Fukuoka or Siargao?
Fukuoka scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 62/100. 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 Siargao?
Fukuoka averages 100 Mbps and Siargao averages 35 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 Siargao?
Fukuoka sits in Japan (90 days free) and Siargao in Philippines (30 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.