✦ Compare
Fukuoka vs
Istanbul
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Fukuoka, JP vs Istanbul, TR at a glance — Istanbul, TR is 41% cheaper than Fukuoka, JP overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $650/mo versus $700/mo. Top income tax: 40% vs 45%.
To keep the same standard of living in Istanbul, TR, you'd need
$44,563 / year
Istanbul, TR is 41% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Istanbul, TR vs Fukuoka, JP)
- Housing-31%
- Food & groceries-45%
- Transport-49%
- Utilities-44%
- Healthcare-47%
- Goods & services-41%
◎ How Fukuoka, JP and Istanbul, TR compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Fukuoka, JP | Istanbul, TR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 91 | 54 |
| Housing | 80 | 55 |
| Food | 95 | 52 |
| Transport | 78 | 40 |
| Utilities | 108 | 60 |
| Healthcare | 85 | 45 |
| Goods & services | 102 | 60 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $700/mo | $650/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $500/mo | $400/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,300/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $5,000 | $2,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,100 | $1,852 |
| Inexpensive meal | $7 | $6 |
| Monthly transit pass | $55 | $30 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 40% |
| VAT / sales tax | 10% | 20% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 15% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 25% |
| Capital gains | 20.3% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,300/mo | $600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $35,951 | $15,666 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3.2% | 44% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | Yes |
| English proficiency | Low | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 20 | 50 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC+3 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 82 | 58 |
| Healthcare index | 83 | 65 |
| Pollution index | 38 | 62 |
| Internet speed | 220 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 70 |
| Public transport | 82 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 74 | 60 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr | 78 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Moderate | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +7 °C | +6 °C |
| July avg | +28 °C | +24 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 190 | 190 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,600 mm | 810 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 3 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Japan vs Turkey. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Fukuoka
Kyushu's laid-back hub and the most affordable of Japan's big cities — a compact, food-obsessed port (ramen and open-air yatai stalls) that actively courts founders with a startup visa. Milder winters than Tokyo and quick flights across Asia are the draw.
- Currency
- Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Time zone
- UTC+9
- Internet
- 220 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 82/100
- Climate
- ❄ 7°C · ☀ 28°C · 190 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B · 100V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Tenjin · Hakata · Daimyo · Ohori
Good to know before you move to Istanbul
The only megacity straddling two continents — 15 million people where Europe meets Asia. Big-city energy, deep history and world-class food at a fraction of Western-European prices, offset by a volatile lira and long cross-Bosphorus commutes.
- Currency
- Turkish lira (₺ TRY)
- Languages
- Turkish
- Time zone
- UTC+3
- Internet
- 60 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 58/100
- Climate
- ❄ 6°C · ☀ 24°C · 190 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Bottled recommended
- Power
- C/F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Kadıköy · Beşiktaş · Cihangir · Şişli
Plan your move to Fukuoka
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
Plan your move to Istanbul
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalLocalrent
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- MoreAvitoVIP
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Fukuoka to Istanbul: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Fukuoka to Istanbul, your cost of living will be roughly 41% cheaper. Istanbul’s cost-of-living index is 54 versus 91 for Fukuoka (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Fukuoka cheaper than Istanbul?
Istanbul is about 41% cheaper than Fukuoka overall — its cost-of-living index is 54 versus 91 for Fukuoka.
How much do you need to earn in Istanbul to live like in Fukuoka?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Fukuoka is worth about $44,563 in Istanbul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Fukuoka or Istanbul?
Turkey has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in Japan.
◷ More comparisons from Fukuoka
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.