---
title: "Hualien vs Ishigaki for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/hualien-vs-ishigaki
description: "Under balanced weights Ishigaki edges it, 68 to 68, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Hualien is stronger on cost of living; Ishigaki on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Hualien vs Ishigaki for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Ishigaki edges it, 68 to 68, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Hualien is stronger on cost of living; Ishigaki on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 43 | 21 | Hualien |
| Safety | 86 | 94 | Ishigaki |
| Healthcare | 84 | 92 | Ishigaki |
| Internet | 83 | 76 | Hualien |
| Visa ease | 71 | 65 | Hualien |
| Getting there & around | 26 | 35 | Ishigaki |
| Climate | 58 | 58 | tie |
| Air quality | 76 | 95 | Ishigaki |
| Quality of life | 81 | 74 | Hualien |

## Cost

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,550 | $2,700 | Hualien |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.8 | 0.23 | Ishigaki |
| Political stability (0–100) | 83.1 | 87.7 | Ishigaki |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | no data | 86 | — |
| Life expectancy | 80.2 yrs | 84.5 yrs | Ishigaki |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 69.7 Mbps | 46.2 Mbps | Hualien |
| Upload | 39 Mbps | 35.4 Mbps | Hualien |

## Visa

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad visitor visa | Digital nomad visa (Designated Activities) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,333/mo | $5,285/mo | Hualien |
| 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 | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 3 | 12 | Ishigaki |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 2 | Hualien |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Hualien | Ishigaki | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 7 | 7 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 15.6 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | Ishigaki |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Hualien or Ishigaki?

Hualien is cheaper: about $1,550 per month versus $2,700 for one person.

### Is Hualien or Ishigaki safer?

Ishigaki scores higher on safety (94 vs 86), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Hualien or Ishigaki?

Hualien: a measured median of 69.7 Mbps versus 46.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Hualien](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/hualien) · [Ishigaki](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ishigaki). 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); 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); Life expectancy at birth, Taiwan (Ministry of the Interior); Intentional homicide rate, Taiwan (National Police Agency via Wikipedia); Human Development Index, Taiwan (DGBAS calculation); 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/hualien-vs-ishigaki