Fukuoka vs Siem Reap

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.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Siem Reap

64Freedom Score#71Global rank$885Per month

Gateway to Angkor Wat — sunrise over the world's largest religious monument, a laid-back café scene, and a long-stay visa built for nomads.

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.

ExpenseFukuokaSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,600$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$500$334✓
Meal, mid-range$10$5✓
Coworking deskper month$180n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper64.032.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureFukuokaSiem Reap
Safety
85
68
Healthcare
90
40
Walkability
85
58
English spoken
42
42
Food & dining
90
68
Nightlife
65
55
Outdoors
58
36
Nomad community
58
55
Climate quality
60
68
Public transit
95
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureFukuokaSiem Reap
Freedom Score73/100✓64/100
Global rankof 100 cities#37✓#71
Internet100 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature63°F82°F
Air quality30/10045/100✓
Airport connectivity78/100✓58/100
Nomad visa90 days freeLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income20%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Fukuoka if internet is faster at 100 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (85 vs 68), it is more walkable and the nomad community is larger.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $715/mo cheaper, rent is $166/mo lower, the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

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

Siem Reap

  • Angkor Wat: the largest religious monument on earth
  • 6–12 month long-stay visa
  • Tiny expat town, easy community
  • Temples, rice paddies, low costs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Fukuoka or Siem Reap?
Fukuoka scores higher on the Freedom Score (73/100 against 64/100), 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 Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $1,600, a difference of $715 a month or about $8,580 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $500/mo in Fukuoka versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Fukuoka or Siem Reap?
Fukuoka scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 68/100. 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 Siem Reap?
Fukuoka averages 100 Mbps and Siem Reap averages 55 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 Siem Reap?
Fukuoka sits in Japan (90 days free) and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Long-stay visa). 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.