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Living in Kochi

In Kochi, rents across existing tenancies average €6.42 per m² a month (2023).

The unemployment rate was 4.07% at the end of 2020.

Last checked 2026-09-2430 sources

Population312,228people31 Dec 2024Official source · e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度
Median gross salary (region)282.2EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.e-stat.go.jp
Average net rent6.42EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.27 — 2% aboveOfficial source · www.e-stat.go.jp
Unemployment rate4.07%country median 3.8% — 8% aboveOfficial source · 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)
Recorded crime553.4incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Regional figureOfficial source · 令和7年の犯罪情勢 / 令和7年の犯罪情勢 統計表, 図表1-5-2
PM2.5, annual mean9.8µg/m³country median 8.4 — 17% aboveOfficial source · MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 高知市

Higher unemployment than 65% of Japanese cities that publish it and dirtier air than 81% of Japanese cities that publish it.

Which Japan-wide rules apply when you move to Kochi?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

Japan's Housing and Land Survey monthly-rent measure excludes security deposits, key money/right money and common-area charges. The Ministry of Land says deposit terms vary by regional custom; these sources provide context, not a comparable city-level distribution. Statistics Bureau glossary (2018) · MLIT rental-housing Q&A.

How much does it cost to rent in Kochi?

Average net cold rent is about 6.42 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 6.42 EUR/m²/month · www.e-stat.go.jp15
What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Kochi recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€32
Mobile plan, 10 GB€22
Net rent across major citiesKochi highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Kochi highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Kawasaki€13.36
Yokohama€11.97
Osaka€10.65
Kyoto€10.46
Sapporo€7.56
Kochi€6.42
Show the other 6 cities
Saitama€10.37
Fukuoka€9.00
Kobe€8.87
Sendai€8.85
Nagoya€8.81
Hiroshima€8.38
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited31.61 EUR/month30 Sept 2026ドコモ光 月額料金 — NTTドコモ17Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB21.56 EUR/month30 Sept 2026docomo mini 10GB3Official · national market
Housing vacancy rate15.37 %31 Oct 20232023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status1Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)6.42 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.2731 Dec 2023www.e-stat.go.jp15Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)305.9 EUR/month31 Oct 2023Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura6Official

Is Kochi a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 45–63%
Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on education · range 53–71%
Student56%strong on cost, weak on education · range 46–66%
Family61%strong on family, weak on education · range 51–71%
Retirement55%strong on safety, weak on admin · range 45–65%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 385 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of about 6.42 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2023 Housing and Land Survey

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Kochi?

The unemployment rate is about 4.1 % (October 2020).

  • Unemployment rate: 4.07 % · 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)22
Unemployment across cities in JapanUnemployment in Kochi is 4.1%. Of 1,816 cities with data, 818 have unemployment of 3 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026MHLW — Hello Work nationwide location list10Official
Median gross salary (regional)282.2 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.e-stat.go.jp16Official
Unemployment rate4.07 %country median 3.8%31 Dec 2020総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)22Official

What does a salary buy in Kochi?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €282 (e-stat.go.jp, 2024-12-31).
Left over each month€0of €0 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.outside the model's range
Rent, 60 m²€6.42/m² · official · e-stat.go.jp · 2023-12-31− €385
Internet€32 · official · ドコモ光 月額料金 · 2026-09-30− €32
Mobile plan€22 · official · docomo mini 10GB · 2026-09-30− €22
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish—
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Kochi Salary needed to live in Kochi

Public employment offices in Kochi

MHLW lists 1 public employment office in Kochi (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Hello Work — Public employment service

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan

Job Search

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital beds per 1,000 residents26.59 per 1,00031 Dec 2024Japan official municipality health statistics 20247Official
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents2,659 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024Japan official municipality health statistics 20247Official
Hospitals59 count1 Jun 2026医療情報ネット hospitals facility CSV19Official
Pharmacies186 count1 Jun 2026医療情報ネット pharmacies CSV20Official
Physicians per 1,000 residents3.45 per 1,00031 Dec 2024Japan official municipality health statistics 20248Official
Physicians per 100,000 residents344.8 per 100,00031 Dec 2024Japan official municipality health statistics 20248Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Kochi when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents2,659 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-09-16
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents553.4 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025令和7年の犯罪情勢 / 令和7年の犯罪情勢 統計表, 図表1-5-218Official · regional context

Mobility and administration

Kochi's nearest airport was KCZ, 13 km away and offered 3 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport3 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights12Official
Destinations from nearest airport7 count2024Unique direct scheduled destination endpoints for the nearest scheduled-service airport in the complete 97-airport MLIT universe; domestic endpoints come from the official 2024 annual route table and international endpoints from the official 2024 summer and winter direct scheduled-flight tables.14Official
Distance to the nearest major airport13 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)KCZ3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Kochi. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Japanese Language Education Program for Foreigners Living in Japan — State Language Course

Agency for Cultural Affairs

For foreigners living in Japan.

JapaneseIn Person, Online
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Kochi.

Find courses near Kochi

Climate and air quality

Kochi's monthly mean temperatures were 6.7°C in January and 27°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 59.1 mm in January and 357.3 mm in July. Average monthly sunshine totalled 190.7 hours in January and 173.7 hours in July.

Is the air quality good in Kochi?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 高知市11

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in JapanAnnual PM2.5 in Kochi is 9.8 µg/m³. Of 804 cities with data, 209 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean9.8 µg/m³country median 8.431 Mar 2024MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 高知市11Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 12.2 · Feb 13.2 · Mar 16.3 · Apr 20.9 · May 24.8 · Jun 27.1 · Jul 30.8 · Aug 32.1 · Sep 29.5 · Oct 25 · Nov 19.6 · Dec 14.4 °C31 Dec 2020JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知9Official · parent municipality
Average night-time low by monthJan 2.1 · Feb 3.1 · Mar 6.4 · Apr 10.9 · May 15.5 · Jun 19.7 · Jul 23.9 · Aug 24.5 · Sep 21.4 · Oct 15.6 · Nov 9.7 · Dec 4.2 °C31 Dec 2020JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知9Official · parent municipality
Average temperature by monthJan 6.7 · Feb 7.8 · Mar 11.2 · Apr 15.8 · May 20 · Jun 23.1 · Jul 27 · Aug 27.9 · Sep 25 · Oct 19.9 · Nov 14.2 · Dec 8.8 °C31 Dec 2020JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知9Official · parent municipality
Average precipitation by monthJan 59.1 · Feb 107.8 · Mar 174.8 · Apr 225.3 · May 280.4 · Jun 359.5 · Jul 357.3 · Aug 284.1 · Sep 398.1 · Oct 207.5 · Nov 129.6 · Dec 83.1 mm31 Dec 2020JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知9Official · parent municipality
Average sunshine by monthJan 190.7 · Feb 177.2 · Mar 192.2 · Apr 197.3 · May 195.7 · Jun 133.8 · Jul 173.7 · Aug 204 · Sep 162 · Oct 179.6 · Nov 168.8 · Dec 184.6 hours31 Dec 2020JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知9Official · parent municipality

Population and city profile

The city recorded a population density of 1,056.8 people per km² at the end of 2020.

How many people live in Kochi?

The published population was 312,228 people in 2024. Source: e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度5

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area309 km²3 Aug 2026国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)21Official
Foreign-resident share0.834 %3 Aug 2026総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民 ÷ 総計)24Official
Foreign residents2,573 people3 Aug 2026総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民)24Official
Population density1,057 people/km²31 Dec 2020総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表)23Official
Population312,228 people31 Dec 2024e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度5Official

International community in Kochi

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Persons in the official 2020 Population Census Basic Complete Tabulation on Population and Households; sex-total population by source-native nationality category. · 2020

Published groupPeopleShare
Total326,545100.0%
Japanese317,20497.1%
Nationality not reported7,8482.4%
Foreigner1,4930.5%
People's Republic of China4100.1%
Republic of Korea2490.1%
Republic of the Philippines2450.1%
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam2330.1%
Others1720.1%
United States of America640.0%
Republic of Indonesia440.0%
Show 6 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal210.0%
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland200.0%
India170.0%
Federative Republic of Brazil120.0%
Kingdom of Thailand50.0%
Republic of Peru10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median age52.1 years31 Dec 20262026 Resident Basic Register, population by age group by municipality (total residents)2Official

Alternatives for people set on Kochi

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Niihama as a Kochi alternative in the same region

51 km away, better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.

  • Foreign residents: 1.8% Niihama vs 0.8% Kochi+114%
  • Empty flats: 22.5% Niihama vs 15.4% Kochi+46%
  • Rent: €5.63/m² Niihama vs €6.42/m² Kochi−12%
  • Unemployment: 3.3% Niihama vs 4.1% Kochi−20%
  • Residents: 112,724 Niihama vs 312,228 Kochi−64%
  • Hospital beds, per 100k: 1,889.2 Niihama vs 2,659.2 Kochi−29%
  • Annual PM2.5: 11.9 µg/m³ Niihama vs 9.8 µg/m³ Kochi+21%

Maebashi as a Kochi alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 597 km, better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Foreign residents: 3.6% Maebashi vs 0.8% Kochi+328%
  • Hospital beds, per 100k: 1,323.3 Maebashi vs 2,659.2 Kochi−50%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 750 Maebashi vs 553 Kochino percentage
  • Median gross pay, region: €313 Maebashi vs €282 Kochi+11%
  • Unemployment: 3.5% Maebashi vs 4.1% Kochi−13%
  • Residents: 329,120 Maebashi vs 312,228 Kochi+5%
  • Empty flats: 15.2% Maebashi vs 15.4% Kochisame level

Cities near Kochi

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Ino-cho 9.8 km away
Rent
5.5 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
Nankoku 10.4 km away
Rent
6 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
Tosa 11.7 km away
Rent
4.15 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
Konan (Kochi) 15.6 km away
Rent
5.06 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31

Alternative cities in Japan

Other cities in Japan to compare with Kochi, nearest in population first.

All Japan cities

How does Kochi compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Kochi's.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Kochi?

The published population was 312,228 people in 2024. Source: e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度.

How much does it cost to rent in Kochi?

Average net cold rent is about 6.42 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 450 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.

Is the air quality good in Kochi?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 高知市.

What is the unemployment rate in Kochi?

The unemployment rate is about 4.1 % (October 2020). Source: 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表).

What is the typical salary around Kochi?

The median gross salary is 282.2 EUR/month. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.

Is Kochi a good place to live?

Kochi may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Kochi?

Ino-cho, Nankoku, Tosa, Konan (Kochi), Sakawa-cho are near Kochi. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people are in the Japanese citizenship group in Kochi?

The official citizenship distribution records 317,204 people (97.1%) in the source-defined population for 2020. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Kochi, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version dd5680dfb64ea80d706ebedb8a5fccaa]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/kochi-20-1859127/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_kochi-japan-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living-jobs_879c41068ed6,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Kochi, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {dd5680dfb64ea80d706ebedb8a5fccaa},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/kochi-20-1859127/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Kochi, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/kochi-20-1859127/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version dd5680dfb64ea80d706ebedb8a5fccaa; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. 2023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-17
  2. 2026 Resident Basic Register, population by age group by municipality (total residents) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-24
  3. docomo mini 10GB docomo.ne.jp · checked 2026-09-15
  4. e-Stat / Statistics Bureau of Japan 2020 Population Census table 44-1 nationality e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-01
  5. e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度 e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-18
  6. Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-12
  7. Japan official municipality health statistics 2024 mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-08-13
  8. Japan official municipality health statistics 2024 mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-08-13
  9. JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 高知 JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals · data.jma.go.jp · checked 2026-07-26
  10. MHLW — Hello Work nationwide location list MHLW · mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
Show 20 more sources
  1. MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 高知市 MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 · env.go.jp · checked 2026-07-26
  2. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  3. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  4. Unique direct scheduled destination endpoints for the nearest scheduled-service airport in the complete 97-airport MLIT universe; domestic endpoints come from the official 2024 annual route table and international endpoints from the official 2024 summer and winter direct scheduled-flight tables. mlit.go.jp · checked 2026-07-15
  5. www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
  6. www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
  7. ドコモ光 月額料金 — NTTドコモ ドコモ光 月額料金 · docomo.ne.jp · checked 2026-09-19
  8. 令和7年の犯罪情勢 / 令和7年の犯罪情勢 統計表, 図表1-5-2 npa.go.jp · checked 2026-09-23
  9. 医療情報ネット hospitals facility CSV mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
  10. 医療情報ネット pharmacies CSV mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
  11. 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan) gsi.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
  12. 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
  13. 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
  14. 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民) soumu.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
  15. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  16. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1205751 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  17. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1206590 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  18. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q851163 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  19. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q861621 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  20. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q877209 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.