Kobe vs Osaka
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Kobe edges it, 65 to 64, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Kobe is stronger on climate, internet; Osaka on cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 24 | 44 ✓ |
| Safety | 98 | 98 |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 |
| Internet | 85 ✓ | 70 |
| Visa ease | 61 | 61 |
| Getting there & around | 45 | 46 ✓ |
| Climate | 17 ✓ | 0 |
| Air quality | 91 ✓ | 90 |
| Quality of life | 74 | 74 |
Cost
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $2,700 | $1,719 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $909 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 85.3 | 85.3 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 86 | 86 |
| Life expectancy | 84.5 yrs | 84.5 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 81.6 Mbps ✓ | 48.7 Mbps |
| Upload | 78.4 Mbps ✓ | 17.2 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) | Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,169/mo | $5,169/mo |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 69 | 80 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 5 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Kobe | Osaka |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 2 ✓ | 0 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 9.1 µg/m³ ✓ | 9.4 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Kobe or Osaka?
- Osaka is cheaper: about $1,719 per month versus $2,700 for one person.
- Is Kobe or Osaka safer?
- Kobe scores higher on safety (98 vs 98), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Kobe or Osaka?
- Kobe: a measured median of 81.6 Mbps versus 48.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More 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); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.