Hiroshima
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture and the largest city in western Japan's Chugoku region a 1.2-million-person delta city on the Seto Inland Sea, 1.5 hours west of Osaka by Shinkansen and 4 hours west of Tokyo. The city is forever defined by the August 6, 1945 atomic bombing the first nuclear weapon ever used in warfare, killing 140,000 by year-end which has uniquely shaped the city's post-war civic identity around peace and reconciliation. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Atomic Bomb Dome (the preserved 1945 ruin, UNESCO World Heritage), the Children's Peace Monument (and the Sadako Sasaki paper-crane tradition), and the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims are uniquely concentrated in the central Peace Memorial Park; a daily 8:15 silent moment of remembrance is observed citywide. Beyond the bomb, Hiroshima is a uniquely vibrant region: the UNESCO Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island (the floating torii is one of the three most beautiful views in Japan) is 30 minutes by ferry; Hiroshima okonomiyaki (uniquely layered with noodles, the most acclaimed regional food in western Japan) and Setouchi oysters (Hiroshima Bay produces 60% of Japan's oyster harvest) define the regional cuisine; the Hiroshima Carp red-ribbon baseball fan culture is among the most beloved in Japan. A furnished one-bedroom in Hatchobori or Funairi costs ¥75,000–110,000/month ($500–750) meaningfully below Tokyo for a comparable urban quality.
Thinking about Hiroshima, Japan? Visa process: Moderate (about 4 weeks). Rent runs from $700/mo, roughly $1,620/mo all-in for one person — safety 96/100, internet 92/100 on Jonzy.
Best for: Modern Japanese history pilgrims, Itsukushima/Miyajima travellers, Hiroshima okonomiyaki and oyster lovers, Carp baseball lovers.
- Rent from $700/mo, about $1,620/mo all-in for one person.
- Safety 96/100 · Internet 92/100 · a mild, fairly pleasant climate.
- Visa: Moderate process, about 4 weeks.
- Local salaries average around $1,750/mo, with a solid, growing expat community.
Cost of living in Hiroshima
| Rent (1-bed, typical) | $700/mo |
|---|---|
| Food & groceries | $400/mo |
| Transport | $90/mo |
| Healthcare | $80/mo |
| Utilities | $130/mo |
| Other essentials | $220/mo |
| Total (all-in) | $1,620/mo |
How Hiroshima stacks up
- Rent eats about 43% of a one-person monthly budget in Hiroshima — a fairly balanced split across housing and day-to-day costs.
- At ~$1,620/mo all-in, Hiroshima runs about 16% pricier than the median Jonzy city ($1,400/mo).
- A local salary (~$1,750/mo) covers roughly 108% of one person's costs — workable on local pay.
- Its strongest catalog score is safety (96/100); the weakest is climate (65/100).
Is Hiroshima right for you?
Highlights
- Fast, reliable internet (92/100).
- Very safe by catalog scores (96/100).
- Clean air (AQI ~28).
Quality of life in Hiroshima
- Safety: 96/100
- Internet speed: 92/100
- Climate: 65/100
- Healthcare: 92/100
- Expat community: 70/100
Taxes in Hiroshima
Non-residents (under 1 year) owe no Japanese tax on foreign income
Living in Japan
Japan's Digital Nomad Visa (6 months, renewable once after a 6-month gap) requires foreign income above ¥10 million/year (~$66,000). New residents under 5 years may benefit from the remittance-basis rule taxed only on Japanese-source income plus foreign income remitted to Japan. Standard income tax is 5–45% national plus ~10% local inhabitant tax up to 55% combined for top earners. The yen (JPY) has weakened dramatically against the USD over 2022–2024, making Japan the cheapest it has been for USD or EUR earners in over 30 years. Japan has comprehensive tax treaties with the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, and most OECD nations. Japan's "Highly Skilled Professional" visa offers fast-track residency and a 5-year route to permanent residency (vs the standard 10 years).
Hiroshima relocation FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Hiroshima?
A single person typically spends about $1,620/month in Hiroshima, including rent (from $700/mo), food, transport, healthcare, utilities, and misc. Costs vary by neighbourhood and lifestyle.
What is the monthly cost breakdown in Hiroshima?
Typical monthly costs for one person in Hiroshima: rent from $700, food $400, transport $90, healthcare $80, utilities $130, and other essentials $220 — about $1,620/mo all-in. Sign in to Jonzy for community-validated figures and a budget tuned to your lifestyle.
Is Hiroshima a good place to relocate?
On this page, Hiroshima scores 92/100 for internet, 96/100 for safety, and 65/100 for climate — catalog averages, not personalised to you. In Jonzy, you can rank it against 355 other cities for your income, passport, and lifestyle priorities.
What visa do I need to live in Hiroshima?
Long-stay relocation routes for Hiroshima depend on your passport. For example, a US passport holder may see "Highly Skilled Professional / Digital Nomad Visa" (is catalogued in our catalog). Tourist entry is separate, confirm border rules on official sources before travel. Jonzy matches Japan against 525+ visa programs in-app. Informational only, not legal advice.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hiroshima?
Core costs for one person run about $1,620/mo, so a comfortable budget with room for savings, travel, and irregular expenses is roughly $2,300/mo take-home. Local salaries average around $1,750/mo. Jonzy calculates your exact surplus after tax for your income and passport.
Who is Hiroshima best for?
Hiroshima tends to suit modern japanese history pilgrims, itsukushima/miyajima travellers, hiroshima okonomiyaki and oyster lovers and carp baseball lovers — based on its cost profile (about $1,620/mo all-in), 92/100 internet, 96/100 safety, and a solid, growing expat community. Jonzy scores it against your own income, passport, and lifestyle priorities so you can see whether it fits you specifically, not just the average relocator.
Is Hiroshima expensive to live in?
At about $1,620/mo all-in for one person, Hiroshima is a little pricier than average — roughly 16% above the median of the 356 Jonzy cities ($1,400/mo). Your own number depends on neighbourhood, lifestyle, and whether you rent short- or long-term.
Is Hiroshima safe to live in?
Hiroshima scores 96/100 on Jonzy's safety index, among the safer cities in the catalog. For families specifically it rates 95/100. Safety varies sharply by neighbourhood and time of day everywhere — treat the score as a city-level average, and use community threads for street-level reality.
Is Hiroshima good for remote work?
Connectivity scores 92/100 — fast and dependable enough for video-heavy remote work. The expat and nomad scene rates 70/100, and work-life balance 70/100. Combined with ~$1,620/mo all-in costs, that is the core remote-work math for Hiroshima; Jonzy re-ranks it against your own income and timezone needs.
What is the weather like in Hiroshima?
Hiroshima scores 65/100 for climate — a comfortable climate for most of the year. It logs roughly 215 sunny days a year in the catalog. The city guide's seasonal data shows how the year actually feels; the climate planner tool maps it against your heat and daylight preferences.
What are taxes like in Hiroshima?
Typical tax snapshot for Hiroshima, Japan: Non-residents (under 1 year) owe no Japanese tax on foreign income. Your actual liability depends on residency status, income source, and any tax treaty — Jonzy estimates take-home pay for your specific situation, and this is not tax advice.