---
title: "Singapore vs Tokyo for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/singapore-vs-tokyo
description: "Under balanced weights Tokyo edges it, 65 to 62, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Singapore is stronger on quality of life; Tokyo on cost of living, visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Singapore vs Tokyo for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Tokyo edges it, 65 to 62, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Singapore is stronger on quality of life; Tokyo on cost of living, visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 8 | 33 | Tokyo |
| Safety | 99 | 98 | Singapore |
| Healthcare | 92 | 92 | Singapore |
| Internet | 72 | 68 | Singapore |
| Visa ease | 46 | 61 | Tokyo |
| Getting there & around | 59 | 63 | Tokyo |
| Climate | 0 | 8 | Tokyo |
| Air quality | 84 | 87 | Tokyo |
| Quality of life | 95 | 74 | Singapore |

## Cost

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $3,927 | $2,212 | Tokyo |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $2,795 | $1,287 | Tokyo |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.2 | 0.2 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 86.9 | 85.3 | Singapore |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 88 | 86 | Singapore |
| Life expectancy | 83.9 yrs | 84.5 yrs | Tokyo |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 52.2 Mbps | 43.7 Mbps | Singapore |
| Upload | 20.4 Mbps | 17 Mbps | Singapore |

## Visa

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Status of Residence of “Designated Activities” (for Digital Nomad / Spouse or child of Digital Nomad) | Tokyo |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $5,169/mo | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 171 | 161 | Singapore |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 5 | Tokyo |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 5 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Singapore | Tokyo | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 0 | 1 | Tokyo |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 12 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | Tokyo |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Singapore or Tokyo?

Tokyo is cheaper: about $2,212 per month versus $3,927 for one person.

### Is Singapore or Tokyo safer?

Singapore scores higher on safety (99 vs 98), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Singapore or Tokyo?

Singapore: a measured median of 52.2 Mbps versus 43.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Singapore](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/singapore) · [Tokyo](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tokyo). 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); 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).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/singapore-vs-tokyo