Fukuoka vs Split

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.

Split, Croatia
🇭🇷Croatia

Split

84Freedom Score#10Global rank$1,800Per month

Croatia's Adriatic gem — Diocletian's 1,700-year-old palace is literally the city centre, surrounded by crystal-clear water, island ferries, and some of Europe's best seafood.

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.

ExpenseFukuokaSplit
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,600✓$1,800
Rent, 1BR city centre$500✓$650
Meal, mid-range$10✓$22
Coworking deskper month$180$108✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper64.046.2✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureFukuokaSplit
Safety
85
80
Healthcare
90
70
Walkability
85
60
English spoken
42
90
Food & dining
90
80
Nightlife
65
70
Outdoors
58
85
Nomad community
58
60
Climate quality
60
82
Public transit
95
50

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureFukuokaSplit
Freedom Score73/10084/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#37#10✓
Internet100 Mbps✓69 Mbps
Average temperature63°F65°F
Air quality30/100✓20/100
Airport connectivity78/100✓70/100
Nomad visa90 days freen.a.
Headline tax rateon local income20%0%

Which should you choose?

Choose Fukuoka if runs $200/mo cheaper, rent is $150/mo lower, internet is faster at 100 Mbps and it scores higher on safety (85 vs 80).

Choose Split if English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better, the nomad community is larger 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

Split

  • Live inside a 1,700-year-old Roman palace — literally
  • Croatia Digital Nomad visa: 1-year renewable stay
  • Hvar and Brač islands: 20-minute ferry, world-class beaches
  • 300 sunny days/year — Mediterranean climate without Lisbon prices

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Fukuoka or Split?
Split scores higher on the Freedom Score (84/100 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: Fukuoka or Split?
Fukuoka is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,600 against $1,800, a difference of $200 a month or about $2,400 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $500/mo in Fukuoka versus $650/mo in Split.
Which is safer: Fukuoka or Split?
Fukuoka scores higher on safety, 85/100 against 80/100. 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 Split?
Fukuoka averages 100 Mbps and Split averages 69 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 Split?
Fukuoka sits in Japan (90 days free) and Split in Croatia (n.a.). 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.