Prefectures that offer good value for money

Have you ever considered that some prefectures might offer better value for money than others? I can only compare living in two prefectures (Tokyo and Niigata), and I definitely think the countryside is cheaper than city living was. 

AZWAY Co., Ltd (a real estate media company) conducted some research this year, surveying 588 participants ranging from teens to seniors on the topic of which prefectures represent good value for money. The top three were as follows:

First place: Hokkaido

Known for its affordable fresh produce and beautiful natural landscapes, Hokkaido stood out to survey respondents for having reasonable living costs outside urban areas like Sapporo. Participants highlighted cooler summers and lower food prices as a couple of major advantages that would help overall expenditure.

Second place: Fukuoka

Fukuoka won brownie points among respondents thanks to offering urban conveniences at a lower cost than many other cities. Cheaper rents, easy transportation, and quality local cuisine also helped the prefecture earn its second place ranking.

Third place: Tokyo

This one surprised me a little, since I feel like Tokyo has quite the reputation for being an expensive place to live. However, the extensive public transport system was one of the reasons for its high ranking, with respondents mentioning it eliminates the need for a car. When we lived in central Tokyo before moving out to the suburbs we didn't have a car either, as it just didn't make sense to have one!

Interestingly, younger respondents (under 30) were less inclined to choose Tokyo, preferring Saitama – they mentioned the cheaper rent and excellent access to the capital as a couple of factors. 

You can explore more of the report here if you have any interest in it!