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Ehime

愛媛県

At a Glance

Monthly Cost
¥412,936≈ $2,753/mo
Avg Rent (1K)
¥34,000/month
Avg Income
290万円/year
Vacant Houses
18.2%vacancy rate
Foreign Community
SmallSmall
Nomad Score
2/5
Safety
Very Safe
Affordability
87/100Very Affordable

Higher cost area, driven by agriculture (citrus) & shipbuilding, tight-knit local community.

Estimated Monthly Cost of Living

¥412,936

≈ $2,753 USD / month

7% more expensive than national average

Budget

¥289,055

Minimal spending, shared housing, cooking at home

Moderate

¥412,936

Average lifestyle, own apartment, occasional dining

Comfortable

¥578,110

Spacious flat, dining out often, leisure activities

Monthly Spending Breakdown

Other
¥252,85961.2%
Food & Groceries
¥59,31514.4%
Transportation
¥45,02710.9%
Entertainment
¥14,6143.5%
Education
¥13,3663.2%
Utilities
¥11,3612.8%
Clothing
¥7,9121.9%
Healthcare
¥5,8171.4%
Housing & Rent
¥2,6650.6%

Price Details

Individual item prices in Ehime, sourced from e-Stat government data. Prices are in JPY.

Other(3 items)
Total Consumption Expenditure¥370,234
Other Consumption Expenditure¥73,025
Furniture & Household Utensils¥16,485
Food & Groceries(3 items)
Food¥97,521
Rice (Koshihikari)¥5,233
Food (average)¥5,091
Transportation(1 items)
Transportation & Communication¥81,867
Entertainment(1 items)
Culture & Recreation¥26,571
Education(1 items)
Education¥24,301
Utilities(1 items)
Fuel, Light & Water Charges¥20,656
Clothing(1 items)
Clothing & Footwear¥14,385
Healthcare(1 items)
Medical Care¥10,577
Housing & Rent(1 items)
Housing¥4,846

Foreign Community in Ehime

Small Community14,500 foreign residents (1.1% of population)+10% growth

Top Nationalities

Vietnamese
Chinese
Indonesian

Source: Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) end-of-2023 statistics. A larger foreign community often means more multilingual services, international shops, and established support networks for newcomers.

Lifestyle Profile

Top Industries

Agriculture (citrus)ShipbuildingPaper & PulpTourism

Local Specialties

Mikan (mandarin oranges)Jakoten (fried fish cake)Taimeshi (sea bream rice)Iyo-kasuri textiles

Lifestyle

Dogo Onsen (Japan's oldest)Shimanami Kaido cyclingCitrus paradiseLaid-backLiterary history (Botchan)

Events & Festivals

Mar

Dogo Onsen Festival

Celebration of one of Japan's oldest hot springs

Oct

Niihama Taiko Festival

Massive taiko drum floats carried by hundreds of men

Digital Nomad Score

2/5 — Fair

Based on coworking availability, internet speed, and cafe culture.

Entrepreneur Score

2/5 — Fair

Based on startup ecosystem, business support, and market access.

Outdoor & Activities

Cycling (Shimanami Kaido)Hot springs (Dogo)HikingFishing

Climate

Mild Seto Inland Sea climate. Warm winters. Low rainfall. Comfortable year-round.

Foreign Community

Community SizeSmall
English Friendliness
1/5

Future Events & Business Opportunities

Investment Highlight

Ehime is becoming a world-class cycling destination. The Cycling Shimanami 2026 event and Velo-city 2027 world summit position the prefecture as the cycling capital of Asia, creating year-round tourism and business opportunities.

2026Oct

Cycling Shimanami 2026 International Event

SportsHigh Impact

One of Asia's largest international cycling events, with ~7,000 participants from around the world riding the Shimanami Kaido — a National Cycle Route connecting Ehime and Hiroshima across the Seto Inland Sea. Eight courses are available for all skill levels.

Business Opportunity

Cycling tourism infrastructure — bike rental shops, accommodation along the route, cafes, repair services. Investors are already opening shops and services ahead of the event. Year-round cycling tourism is growing rapidly.

2027May

Velo-city 2027 — World Cycling Summit

BusinessHigh Impact

Ehime will host Velo-city 2027 (May 25-28), the annual world cycling summit, marking its first time in Japan. Over 1,000 international delegates from cycling industry, urban planning, and government will attend. The four Shikoku prefectures are collaborating to position the island as an international cycling destination.

Business Opportunity

International conference services, premium accommodation, cycling industry partnerships, and long-term positioning as a global cycling destination. This puts Ehime on the world cycling industry map permanently.

Infrastructure Projects

  • Shimanami Kaido cycling infrastructure upgrades
  • Imabari-Onomichi cycling corridor improvements
  • Matsuyama cycling network expansion
  • Shikoku-wide cycling route development

Economic & Investment Profile

Investment Signal: Stable

Shimanami Kaido cycling tourism; shipbuilding and towel manufacturing; Matsuyama is a livable compact city.

Economic Overview

GDP

¥5.1T

+0.2% YoY

GDP per Capita

¥3.8M

Avg. Income

290万円

≈ ¥2,900,000/yr

Unemployment

2.5%

Below national avg

Startup Rate

3.1%

Below average

Real Estate Market

Avg. Rent (1K)

¥32,000

/month

Avg. Rent (2LDK)

¥48,000

/month

Land Price Trend

-0.6%

YoY change

Vacant House Rate

17.5%

Above national avg (13.6%)

Demographics

Population Trend

↓ Declining

-0.9% YoY

Foreign Residents

14,500

+10.0% growth

Top Nationalities

1.Vietnamese2.Chinese3.Indonesian

Key Metrics at a Glance

GDP¥5.1T
GDP Growth+0.2%
Average Income290\u4E07\u5186
Land Price Change-0.6%
Vacant Houses17.5%
Foreign Residents14,500
Startup Rate3.1%

Sources: Cabinet Office (GDP), Ministry of Internal Affairs (population), Immigration Services Agency (foreign residents), MLIT (land prices, housing survey), National Tax Agency (income). Data from 2022-2024 publications.

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Cities & Municipalities (0)

No city data available for this prefecture yet. Data coming soon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to live in Ehime?

The estimated monthly cost of living in Ehime for a single person is approximately ¥412,936 (≈ $2,753 USD). This includes rent, food, utilities, transportation, and other daily expenses based on government survey data.

What are specific item prices in Ehime?

The Price Details section below shows individual item prices in Ehime, grouped by category (food, housing, utilities, etc.). You can see exactly how much everyday items like rice, eggs, milk, and transit passes cost, sourced directly from Japan's e-Stat government data.

Is Ehime expensive compared to other prefectures?

Ehime is approximately 7% more expensive than the national average.