Is Fukuoka the best place to live in Japan?

For me, the answer is yes. Fukuoka Prefecture is the best place to live in Japan. I’m not alone in offering my praises for Kyushu’s northernmost prefecture. According to several sources, Fukuoka has earned accolades inside and outside Japan. But, more than the rankings, the experience of living in Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City, in particular, makes me think this place is great. Curious to find out more? Keep reading for a few great reasons to live in Fukuoka.

Fukuoka Prefecture Rankings

Fukuoka ranks high on surveys across the board.  Image: iStock/ Sean Pavone

Numbers don’t lie. Here are a few sources to explain why Fukuoka is the best place to live in Japan. Consider these recent rankings:

• In a survey by the Japanese rental agency eheya.net, Fukuoka was voted #4 best prefecture to live in (according to current residents) and #2 most desirable prefecture to live in (according to all respondents)
• Since 2008, London-based Monocle Magazine has featured Fukuoka City as one of its top 25 global cities in the annual Quality of Life Survey every year, except two times.
• According to a 2021 survey that asked whether respondents wanted to move back to their home prefectures now that they’re living elsewhere, natives of Fukuoka Prefecture came in at #1, with 33.5% replying positively

Affordable Housing

Compared to Osaka and Tokyo, Fukuoka Prefecture has low rental costs. Take a look at these average rents for a variety of apartment sizes:

Even if you’re a business owner looking to rent office space, Fukuoka City has you covered, too. In 2023, Fukuoka had much cheaper rents in its business district compared to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Low Cost of Living

In 2022, Fukuoka City was ranked the cheapest for food and general amenities.  Image: iStock/ Nirad

Fukuoka Prefecture’s two largest cities, Fukuoka and Kitakyushu City, have low living costs for cities over 500,000. In 2022, Fukuoka City was ranked the cheapest for food and general amenities, while Kitakyushu City earned three and eight spots, respectively. If the national average for food and daily necessities is ¥100, people in Fukuoka City could expect to pay about ¥97.7 for each and Kitakyushu ¥98.2 and ¥99.8 for the two.

For a price comparison between Fukuoka City and Osaka, check out these typical goods and services:

Fukuoka Prefecture also has relatively low living standards and attracts many international and domestic businesses. Fukuoka City has the highest number of businesses opening for five years in a row as of 2022 and the lowest cost for renting office space for a major Japanese city.

Good Work-Life Balance