Hong Kong vs Naha (Okinawa)
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Hong Kong edges it, 71 to 71, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Hong Kong is stronger on getting there & around, quality of life; Naha (Okinawa) on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Dense, efficient, and exceptionally connected
Full Hong Kong profile →Hotels in Hong Kong →Japan's subtropical island capital
Full Naha (Okinawa) profile →Where to stay in Naha (Okinawa) →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 15 | 21 ✓ |
| Safety | 87 | 94 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 97 ✓ | 92 |
| Internet | 72 | 80 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 61 | 65 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 85 ✓ | 57 |
| Climate | 58 | 58 |
| Air quality | 75 | 97 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 92 ✓ | 74 |
Cost
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $3,193 | $2,700 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $2,301 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.3 | 0.23 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 79.2 | 87.7 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | no data | 86 |
| Life expectancy | 83.7 yrs | 84.5 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 42.5 Mbps | 55.2 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 19.1 Mbps | 47.9 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $5,285/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 149 ✓ | 41 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 3 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Hong Kong | Naha (Okinawa) |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 7 | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 16.3 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Hong Kong or Naha (Okinawa)?
- Naha (Okinawa) is cheaper: about $2,700 per month versus $3,193 for one person.
- Is Hong Kong or Naha (Okinawa) safer?
- Naha (Okinawa) scores higher on safety (94 vs 87), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Hong Kong or Naha (Okinawa)?
- Naha (Okinawa): a measured median of 55.2 Mbps versus 42.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Hong Kong vs Lisbon
- Hong Kong vs Melbourne
- Naha (Okinawa) vs Oranjestad
- Naha (Okinawa) vs Ishigaki
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; 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); 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); Life expectancy at birth, Hong Kong (Census and Statistics Department); Intentional homicide rate, Hong Kong (Police via Wikipedia); 2024 Annual Air Quality Review (EPD monitoring data); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.