Fukuoka
Japan · Asia · 1.6M people
Fast-growing, laid-back Japanese city popular with startups and remote workers.
Ranked #5 of 303 overall · 33.59, 130.40
Overview
Fukuoka, Japan, is home to about 1.6 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. Fukuoka stands out for how safe it feels compared to cities of a similar size. People who choose to settle in Fukuoka tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and a climate most people find easy to live with as the deciding factors. Within the 76 cities we track in Asia, the regional average sits at 6.5/10, which puts Fukuoka's 7.9/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Fukuoka scores 7.9/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #5 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 7/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
A car is optional for most people.
A normal seasonal mix, nothing extreme.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Fukuoka right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 9/10 safety score puts Fukuoka among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Public transport scores 8/10, dense enough that skipping a car is realistic for most residents.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is Fukuoka's comparatively softest spot at 7/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Environment and air quality sits at 7/10, comparatively the softest of Fukuoka's scores though still a reasonable baseline.
Is Fukuoka safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Fukuoka, at 9/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Fukuoka looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (9/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (9/10) and transport quality (8/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Fukuoka?
Fukuoka scores 7/10 on climate — pleasant enough for most of the year, without being a specific draw on its own.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Fukuoka
Put together, quality of life in Fukuoka is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: fukuoka doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Fukuoka doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (7/10) and climate (7/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Getting around is one of Fukuoka's clearer strengths (8/10) — day-to-day life doesn't really require a car.
Culture & leisure
Fukuoka isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Fukuoka tends to suit people who prioritize safety and internet & connectivity over cost of living — see "Who Fukuoka suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Fukuoka?
Fukuoka scores 7/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Fukuoka suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 8.1/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 8.0/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 8.0/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 8.0/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Fukuoka scores 7/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Safety is one of Fukuoka's clearest strengths, scoring 9/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
Fukuoka's climate scores 7/10 — a decent mix of seasons without extremes in either direction.
Quality of life
Fukuoka's overall quality of life (7.9/10) comes from consistency rather than any single standout: every criterion sits within a few points of the others, with safety edging out as the strongest and cost of living the softest spot. The average across all seven criteria is 7.9/10.
Transport
Getting around is one of Fukuoka's strong points, scoring 8/10 on transport — a car is genuinely optional here for most day-to-day needs.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Fukuoka scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods and an established remote-work community to match.
Why choose Fukuoka?
Fukuoka is a strong, well-rounded pick at 7.9/10 overall — safety stands out most, and even its comparatively softest criterion (cost of living) is still a solid, workable score rather than a real downside.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Fukuoka safe?
Yes — Fukuoka scores 9/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Fukuoka?
Fukuoka scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Fukuoka good for families?
Fukuoka works well for families: safety (9/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Fukuoka a good city for students?
Fukuoka isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (8/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Fukuoka suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Fukuoka is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 9/10 and a cost-of-living score of 7/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Fukuoka?
Fukuoka scores 7/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Fukuoka pleasant to live in year-round?
Largely yes — with a climate score of 7/10 and an environment (air quality) score of 7/10, Fukuoka holds up well across seasons.
Is Fukuoka a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 8.0/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Fukuoka?
Yes — Fukuoka scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Fukuoka a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 8.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Fukuoka?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Taipei and Osaka are the closest matches to Fukuoka in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Fukuoka worth living in?
On balance, yes — Fukuoka's overall score of 7.9/10 is among the stronger all-round profiles in our 303-city database, without one glaring weakness dragging it down.
Who should move to Fukuoka?
Based on its score profile, Fukuoka suits people who value safety and internet & connectivity more than the average mover — see the "Who Fukuoka suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Fukuoka walkable, and is public transport good?
Yes — Fukuoka scores 8/10 on transport, dense and reliable enough that a car is genuinely optional for most residents.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Fukuoka?
Safety is Fukuoka's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Fukuoka?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 7/10 — the lowest of Fukuoka's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.