---
title: "Kanazawa vs Matsuyama for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kanazawa-vs-matsuyama
description: "Under balanced weights Matsuyama edges it, 66 to 65, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Kanazawa is stronger on nothing outright; Matsuyama on nothing outright. 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
---

# Kanazawa vs Matsuyama for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Matsuyama edges it, 66 to 65, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Kanazawa is stronger on nothing outright; Matsuyama on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 21 | 21 | tie |
| Safety | 94 | 94 | tie |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 | tie |
| Internet | 89 | 89 | Kanazawa |
| Visa ease | 65 | 65 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 46 | 53 | Matsuyama |
| Climate | 8 | 17 | Matsuyama |
| Air quality | 91 | 88 | Kanazawa |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,700 | $2,700 | tie |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | 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 | 84.5 yrs | 84.5 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 90.4 Mbps | 88.7 Mbps | Kanazawa |
| Upload | 84.5 Mbps | 83.9 Mbps | Kanazawa |

## Visa

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | 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 | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 8 | 10 | Matsuyama |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Matsuyama |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Kanazawa | Matsuyama | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 1 | 2 | Matsuyama |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | Kanazawa |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Kanazawa or Matsuyama?

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

### Is Kanazawa or Matsuyama safer?

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

### Where is the internet faster, Kanazawa or Matsuyama?

Kanazawa: a measured median of 90.4 Mbps versus 88.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Kanazawa](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kanazawa) · [Matsuyama](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/matsuyama). 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); 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/kanazawa-vs-matsuyama