---
title: "Chiba vs Tokyo for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/chiba-vs-tokyo
description: "Under balanced weights Tokyo edges it, 66 to 65, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Chiba is stronger on internet; Tokyo on getting there & around, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Chiba vs Tokyo for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Tokyo edges it, 66 to 65, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Chiba is stronger on internet; Tokyo on getting there & around, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Where they differ

- **Internet.** Chiba leads on internet, 87 to 72, against Tokyo. Measured download: 82.8 Mbps vs 43.7 Mbps.
- **Getting there & around.** Tokyo leads on getting there & around, 63 to 48, against Chiba. Non-stop airport destinations: 162 vs 162.
- **Cost of living.** Tokyo leads on cost of living, 36 to 26, against Chiba. Monthly cost, one person: $2,700 vs $2,175.

Where they are close: within five points on air quality, safety, healthcare, visa ease, quality of life.

**Pick Chiba if you want** faster internet (82.8 Mbps measured).

**Pick Tokyo if you want** to spend about $525 less a month; more flights and easier getting around.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 26 | 36 | Tokyo |
| Safety | 94 | 94 | tie |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 | tie |
| Internet | 87 | 72 | Chiba |
| Visa ease | 65 | 65 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 48 | 63 | Tokyo |
| Climate | 17 | 8 | Chiba |
| Air quality | 86 | 87 | Tokyo |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,700 | $2,175 | Tokyo |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $1,265 | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.23 | 0.23 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 87.7 | 87.7 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 86 | 86 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 83.9 yrs | 83.9 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 82.8 Mbps | 43.7 Mbps | Chiba |
| Upload | 76.3 Mbps | 17 Mbps | Chiba |

## Visa

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,285/mo | $5,285/mo | tie |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 162 | 162 | tie |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 5 | Tokyo |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 5 | Tokyo |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Chiba | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 2 | 1 | Chiba |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 11.5 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | Tokyo |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Chiba or Tokyo?

Tokyo is cheaper: about $2,175 per month versus $2,700 for one person.

### Is Chiba or Tokyo safer?

Chiba and Tokyo score the same on safety (94), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Chiba or Tokyo?

Chiba: a measured median of 82.8 Mbps versus 43.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Chiba](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/chiba) · [Tokyo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tokyo). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/chiba-vs-tokyo