---
title: "Living in Akita as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/akita
description: "Rice, sake and lantern poles on the Sea of Japan coast"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Akita, Japan

Akita scores 63.6/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 533 of 1501 cities. Expect about $2,700 per month (country-level estimate), a nomad visa (Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities)), and a measured median download speed of 90.1 Mbps.

Akita is a quiet prefectural capital in rural northern Japan, with a festival of towering lantern poles every August, good sake and the English-taught Akita International University on its outskirts. The Komachi shinkansen reaches Tokyo in about 4 hours and rents are low, but the city is ageing and shrinking, winters are grey and snowy and you need a car or patience with buses.

Known for: Kanto lantern festival, Akita Inu dogs, Kiritanpo and sake, Akita International University.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 63.6 |
| Cost of living | 26 |
| Safety | 94 |
| Healthcare | 92 |
| Internet | 89 |
| Visa ease | 65 |
| Getting there & around | 16 |
| Climate | 25 |
| Air quality | 92 |
| Quality of life | 74 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,700 | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 0.23 | country | 2024 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 87.7 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 86 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.9 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 90.1 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 81.9 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Available | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) (min $5,285/mo) | country | 2026-10-04 | [^10] |
| Visa guide | [Japan long-stay visa guide](https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/japan) | country | 2026-10-04 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | 90 days / 90 days / 90 days | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (AXT) | 6 | city | 2026-10 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 472 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 3 / 2 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 3 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8.8 | city | 2023 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.925 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | low | country | 2024 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Up to 55.945% on worldwide income; for 5 years, foreigners pay on foreign investment income only if brought in.** Japan taxes residents on worldwide income, but a foreigner who has lived there 5 years or less in the last 10 is a non-permanent resident: foreign investment income is taxed only if paid in Japan or remitted. Pay for work done while in Japan is always taxed, at 5%–45% national tax plus a 2.1% surtax and 10% inhabitant tax. Listed share gains and dividends pay 20.315%. Digital nomad visa holders (6 months) are usually non-residents.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | worldwide income |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (5%–45% progressive national income tax plus 2.1% reconstruction surtax, plus 10% inhabitant tax) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | taxed if brought in (20.315% on listed share gains and listed dividends; foreign deposit interest, rent and pensions at 5%–45% plus 2.1% surtax and 10% inhabitant tax) |
| Wealth | no wealth tax; inheritance tax applies |
| Tax resident after | home or ties test |
| Top income tax rate | 55.95% |

Residency: There is no day count. You are resident if you have a domicile (jūsho) in Japan, meaning the centre of your life judged on objective facts, or if you have lived in Japan (kyosho) continuously for one year or more. Someone who arrives to take up a job that normally needs a year or more of continuous residence is presumed to be domiciled from arrival, and a family that lives with them is presumed domiciled too. A foreign national who is resident is a non-permanent resident until their total time with a domicile or residence in Japan in the past 10 years exceeds 5 years, and a permanent resident (taxed on everything) after that. A digital nomad or tourist staying under a year with no home or job tying them to Japan is normally a non-resident, taxed only on Japan-source income. Treaty tie-breakers (permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode, nationality) can settle dual residence.

Remote work: Pay for work physically done in Japan is Japan-source income under the Income Tax Act (Article 161(1)(xii)), whoever pays it and wherever it is paid. So a resident, including a non-permanent resident, is taxed in full on salary from a foreign employer or fees from foreign clients for work done from Japan; the remittance rule does not help. National tax runs from 5% to 45% (2026 table) with a 2.1% reconstruction surtax on the tax, and the inhabitant tax adds 10% (4% prefectural, 6% municipal) on the previous year's income, charged to anyone with an address in Japan on 1 January. A foreign employer does not withhold Japanese tax, so you file a return yourself; freelancers report business income on the same scale. Social contributions apply too: people aged 20 to 59 with an address in Japan who are not in an employee scheme must join the National Pension (¥17,920 a month in fiscal 2026), and foreigners staying more than 3 months who are not in an employee scheme fall under National Health Insurance, whose premium each municipality sets. Whether a social security agreement lets you stay in your home scheme was not checked here. A non-resident's Japan-source pay that nobody withholds on is taxed at a flat 20% (20.42% with the surtax) on a return due by 15 March of the following year, unless a tax treaty exempts it.

Investments: For a non-permanent resident (a foreign national in their first 5 years of residence within any 10), foreign-source income is taxed only if it is paid in Japan or remitted to Japan. The remittance rule is strict: any money you bring in from abroad during the year, including old savings, is deemed to be that year's income paid abroad up to the amount sent, first any Japan-source income paid abroad and then foreign-source income. Gains on securities bought while you were a non-permanent resident in the past 10 years are taxed on sale even if sold and kept abroad. Once you pass 5 years in 10, all foreign income is taxed. When taxed, gains on listed shares (Japanese or foreign) pay 20.315% (15.315% national including surtax, plus 5% inhabitant tax). Listed dividends can be taxed separately at 20.315% or added to other income; foreign dividends get no dividend credit. Interest on foreign bank deposits, rent from abroad, foreign pensions and crypto gains are added to other income at progressive rates. Above ¥330 million of income, including share gains, an extra minimum tax of 22.5% on the excess applies from 2025.

On the nomad visa: The Designated Activities (Digital Nomad) status gives up to 6 months, with no extension, no residence card and no resident registration, so holders normally have no domicile in Japan and are non-residents. Their foreign investment income is then not taxed in Japan, and they owe no inhabitant tax. Pay for remote work done in Japan is still Japan-source income, but the visa is only open to nationals of countries with a tax treaty with Japan, and the Immigration Services Agency says the pay is exempt when the treaty conditions are met: typically 183 days or less in Japan in the tax year or any 12 months and an employer that is not a Japanese resident. Without the exemption, a non-resident's Japan-source pay is taxed at 20.42% on a return. Holders cannot join Japanese public health insurance and must carry private cover.

Schemes for newcomers:

- **Non-permanent resident (hi-eijūsha) status** (5 years): Foreign-source income paid and kept abroad is not taxed; it is taxed only to the extent it is paid in Japan or remitted to Japan, and any money brought in from abroad counts as a remittance. Pay for work done in Japan is taxed in full regardless, and gains on securities bought during non-permanent residence are taxed even if kept abroad. After 5 years in 10, worldwide income is taxed at up to 55.945%. Who qualifies: Any foreign national who is resident in Japan and whose total time with a domicile or residence in Japan in the past 10 years is 5 years or less. It applies automatically; there is nothing to apply for.
- **Temporary resident (ichiji kyojūsha) rule for inheritance and gift tax** (10 years): Inheritances and gifts are taxed only on assets located in Japan when the giver is also a foreigner on a Table 1 status living in Japan, or lives abroad and either never lived in Japan in the past 10 years or did so only as a non-Japanese national. Otherwise worldwide assets are taxed at 10% to 55%. Time on Table 1 statuses also does not count toward the 5 years that trigger the exit tax. Who qualifies: Foreigners living in Japan on a status of residence listed in Table 1 of the Immigration Act (work and activity statuses such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Business Manager, Highly Skilled Professional or Designated Activities) who have had a domicile in Japan for 10 years or less in the past 15 years. Permanent residents, spouses of Japanese nationals and long-term residents hold Table 2 statuses and do not qualify.

Official sources: [No.2010 納税義務者となる個人](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/2010.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.2875 居住者と非居住者の区分](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2875.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [所得税法 (Income Tax Act, Act No. 33 of 1965)](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/340AC0000000033) (Digital Agency, e-Gov Law Search, read 2026-10-27); [所得税法施行令 (Order for Enforcement of the Income Tax Act)](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/340CO0000000096) (Digital Agency, e-Gov Law Search, read 2026-10-27); [No.2260 所得税の税率](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/2260.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.2270 特定の基準所得金額の課税の特例](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/2270.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.1463 株式等を譲渡したときの課税(申告分離課税)](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/1463.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.1331 上場株式等の配当等に係る申告分離課税制度](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/1331.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [所得の種類と課税方法 (令和7年分 確定申告の手引き)](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/shinkoku/tebiki/2025/01/1_03.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.2220 総合課税制度](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/2220.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [個人住民税](https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_zeisei/czaisei/czaisei_seido/150790_06.html) (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省), read 2026-10-27); [固定資産税](https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_zeisei/czaisei/czaisei_seido/149767_08.html) (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省), read 2026-10-27); [相続税法 (Inheritance Tax Act, Act No. 73 of 1950)](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/325AC0000000073) (Digital Agency, e-Gov Law Search, read 2026-10-27); [No.4138 相続人が外国に居住しているとき](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/sozoku/4138.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.4152 相続税の計算](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/sozoku/4152.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.4155 相続税の税率](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/sozoku/4155.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [No.4408 贈与税の計算と税率（暦年課税）](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/zoyo/4408.htm) (National Tax Agency (国税庁), read 2026-10-27); [Status of Residence of 'Designated Activities' (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/designatedactivities53_00001.html) (Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice, read 2026-10-27); [Q&A on the status of residence 'Designated Activities' for digital nomad (July 2024)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001422249.pdf) (Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Ministry of Justice, read 2026-10-27); [国民年金保険料](https://www.nenkin.go.jp/service/kokunen/hokenryo/hokenryo.html) (Japan Pension Service (日本年金機構), read 2026-10-27); [第1号被保険者](https://www.nenkin.go.jp/service/yougo/tagyo/dai1hihokensha.html) (Japan Pension Service (日本年金機構), read 2026-10-27); [その他の労働者のための保険制度について](https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-foreigner/tenshokusha/nihon_hataraku_gaikokujin/spec_1e.html) (Tokyo Labour Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | 1.2 | 117 | 84 | no |
| Feb | 1.3 | 85 | 81 | no |
| Mar | 4 | 99 | 78 | no |
| Apr | 8.7 | 101 | 78 | no |
| May | 14.2 | 104 | 80 | no |
| Jun | 18.9 | 112 | 81 | yes |
| Jul | 22.7 | 199 | 85 | no |
| Aug | 24.6 | 180 | 82 | no |
| Sep | 21.1 | 146 | 79 | yes |
| Oct | 15.3 | 150 | 77 | yes |
| Nov | 9.5 | 148 | 80 | no |
| Dec | 3.8 | 154 | 84 | no |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Akita Airport | AXT | 6 | 1 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 6, of which 1 international (Wikipedia, 2026-10).

## Similar cities

- [Aomori](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/aomori) (62) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/akita-vs-aomori)
- [Hakodate](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/hakodate) (63) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/akita-vs-hakodate)
- [Asahikawa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/asahikawa) (63.3) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/akita-vs-asahikawa)
- [Niigata](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/niigata) (65.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/akita-vs-niigata)
- [Nagasaki](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nagasaki) (63.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/akita-vs-nagasaki)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Akita as a digital nomad?

A single person typically spends about $2,700 per month in Akita (a country-level estimate for Japan). That is a 26/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.

### Is Akita safe for digital nomads?

Akita scores 94/100 on safety. Japan records 0.23 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 87.7/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Japan have a digital nomad visa?

Yes. Japan offers the Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) with a minimum income of about $5,285 per month. Verify current rules with the issuing authority before applying. Full guide: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/japan

### How fast is the internet in Akita?

Measured median download speed in Akita was 90.1 Mbps (upload 81.9 Mbps) across 7,892 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Is Starlink available in Akita?

Yes. Starlink's availability map lists residential service as available in Japan (checked 2026-10), so a dish can serve as a backup line in Akita. Check the exact address on starlink.com before ordering, since capacity varies by area.

### Which airports serve Akita and how many nonstop flights are there?

Akita is served by Akita Airport (AXT) with 6 nonstop destinations, of which 1 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-10.

### When is the best time of year to be in Akita?

The most comfortable months are Jun, Sep, Oct. Mean temperatures range from 34°F (1°C) in Jan to 76°F (25°C) in Aug (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Akita or Aomori: which is better for digital nomads?

Aomori is the city with the closest factor profile to Akita in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Akita](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=akita&destination=Akita%2C+Japan) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim (retrieved 2026-10-12)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Nostos long-stay visa guides, Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/visas (retrieved 2026-10-04)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-24)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04), Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis. CC BY 4.0. https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/surface-pm2-5/ (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

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