---
title: "Kobe vs Naha (Okinawa) for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/kobe-vs-naha
description: "Under balanced weights Naha (Okinawa) edges it, 71 to 69, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Kobe is stronger on getting there & around; Naha (Okinawa) on climate. 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
---

# Kobe vs Naha (Okinawa) for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Naha (Okinawa) edges it, 71 to 69, winning 2 of the 9 factors. Kobe is stronger on getting there & around; Naha (Okinawa) on climate. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Where they differ

- **Climate.** Naha (Okinawa) leads on climate, 58 to 17, against Kobe. Comfortable months: 2 vs 7.
- **Getting there & around.** Kobe leads on getting there & around, 77 to 57, against Naha (Okinawa). Non-stop airport destinations: 69 vs 41.
- **Internet.** Kobe leads on internet, 88 to 80, against Naha (Okinawa). Measured download: 81.6 Mbps vs 55.2 Mbps.

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

**Pick Kobe if you want** faster internet (81.6 Mbps measured); more flights and easier getting around.

**Pick Naha (Okinawa) if you want** a longer comfortable season (7 months against 2).

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

| Metric | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 21 | 21 | tie |
| Safety | 94 | 94 | tie |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 | tie |
| Internet | 88 | 80 | Kobe |
| Visa ease | 65 | 65 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 77 | 57 | Kobe |
| Climate | 17 | 58 | Naha (Okinawa) |
| Air quality | 90 | 97 | Naha (Okinawa) |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,700 | $2,700 | tie |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | 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 | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 81.6 Mbps | 55.2 Mbps | Kobe |
| Upload | 78.4 Mbps | 47.9 Mbps | Kobe |

## Visa

| Metric | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | 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 | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 69 | 41 | Kobe |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 3 | Kobe |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 3 | Kobe |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Kobe | Naha (Okinawa) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 2 | 7 | Naha (Okinawa) |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.7 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | Naha (Okinawa) |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Kobe or Naha (Okinawa)?

Naha (Okinawa) is cheaper: about $2,700 per month versus $2,700 for one person.

### Is Kobe or Naha (Okinawa) safer?

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

### Where is the internet faster, Kobe or Naha (Okinawa)?

Kobe: a measured median of 81.6 Mbps versus 55.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Kobe](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kobe) · [Naha (Okinawa)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/naha). 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/kobe-vs-naha