Townleap

Cost of Living: Da Nang vs Tokyo (2026)

Vietnam vs Japan — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Da Nang
Tokyo
$475/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,359/mo
−$2k/yr
Take-home savings

At each city's local median pay

$2k/yr
PR path
10 yr
Freelance setup
No freelance status for foreigners
  • VAT-free under €4k
  • €200/yr accountant
Kojin Jigyō
  • VAT-free under €60k
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRDa Nang is 65% cheaper on rent ($475/mo vs $1,359/mo). Tokyo is safer — homicide rate 0.2 vs 1.5 per 100k. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Too close to call — 71 vs 68. Tokyo has a slight edge, but Da Nang might suit you better depending on your priorities.
Household
Da Nang
Metric
Tokyo
$148/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$576/mo
$1,937
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$6,924
55 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
90 / 100
1.5 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.2 / 100k
17.7 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
2.7 / 100k
77 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
75 / 100
93°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
82°F
68°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
39°F
245 Mbps
Internet speed
higher is better
53 Mbps
18.6 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
26.9 μg/m³
65 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
85 / 100
2.6 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
8.5 / 10
6.1 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
6.4 / 9
38 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
53 / 100
25/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
22/100
$16k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$52k
3.6% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.7% · Boringly steady
Grid reliability
higher is better
99/100 — Reliable
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
96/100
A median Software Engineer in Da Nang takes home $1,016/mo under Standard employee. In Tokyo: $3,155/mo under Standard employee.
$2,139/mo more in Tokyo
Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.
$14k
💰
Gross income
$54k
−$244
🏛️
Income tax
Standard employee
−$8k
−$1k
🛡️
Social contributions
−$8k
$12k/yr
$1k/mo
💵
Take-home pay
$38k/yr
$3k/mo
−$14k
🏠
Cost of living
−$35k
−$2k/yr
🐖
Annual savings
$2k/yr
Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Da Nang
$884/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Tokyo
0.2 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Tokyo
8.5/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
93°F vs 82°F summers
🗣️
English
Da Nang
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

28% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
53% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
11.2h
Shortest day
Dec
9.7h
13.1h
Longest day
Jun
14.6h

Sun clocks out early in Tokyo's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining
Democracy trend
improving
stable
Inflation trend
stable
Industries
financeautomotivegamingelectronics
Startup ecosystem
hub
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
EU visa
Moderate
RU visa
Complex
UA visa
Moderate
Spouse works
Partner cannot work on this visa
Partner pathway
Not recognized

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
Broad social grounds
22 wk
Gestational limit
22 wk

Legal on request with no strict statutory limit. Guidelines recommend up to 22 weeks.

Legal up to 22 weeks for economic reasons or health risk. Spousal consent requirement still in effect.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Not recognized
Marriage
Not recognized
Not allowed
Adoption
Step-child only
No
Job protection
No
No
Hate crime law
No

Da Nang vs Tokyo — Common Questions

Is Da Nang cheaper than Tokyo?

Da Nang is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $475/month there vs $1359/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Da Nang or Tokyo?

Tokyo is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Da Nang has a rate of 1.53 per 100,000 and Tokyo has 0.23 per 100,000.

Should I move to Da Nang or Tokyo?

Too close to call — 71 vs 68. Tokyo has a slight edge, but Da Nang might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Da Nang or Tokyo?

Da Nang: Vietnam E-Visa (90-day) (moderate requirements, 90 days, multiple-entry — renew by re-applying). Tokyo: Japan Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 6 months (no renewal)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Da Nang or Tokyo?

Da Nang is warmer in summer (93°F vs 82°F). Tokyo has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

What's the cost of rent in Da Nang vs Tokyo?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $475/month in Da Nang, $1359/month in Tokyo (Numbeo). That's 65% cheaper rent in Da Nang.

Is Da Nang or Tokyo better for democracy and rule of law?

Tokyo scores 8.5/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 2.6/10 for Da Nang. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Is healthcare better in Da Nang or Tokyo?

Tokyo scores higher on our composite healthcare index (85/100 vs 65/100 for Da Nang). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

Quiz →