Japan vs Thailand
Cost of living
monthly median · solo budget
Between the two, Thailand is cheaper — $1,089/mo vs $1,631/mo.
Japan is pricier than 19 of 22 Asian countries; Thailand is pricier than 14 of 22 Asian countries.
Safety
safety index
Between the two, Japan is safer — 4.8/5 vs 2.3/5.
Japan is safer than 20 of 22 Asian countries; Thailand is safer than 12 of 22 Asian countries.
Getting around
transit & transport systems
Between the two, Japan scores higher on mobility — 4.0/5 vs 2.4/5.
Japan is easier to get around than 19 of 22 Asian countries; Thailand is easier to get around than 12 of 22 Asian countries.
Culture
cultural depth
Top cultural centers
World Heritage sites
2013UNESCO ↗- Cultural
- Living heritage
- Cultural
- Architectural landmark
- Cultural
- Living heritage
- Cultural
- Ancient civilization
- Cultural
- Ancient civilization
- Cultural
- Living heritage
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · data UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Between the two, Japan scores higher on culture — 4.5/5 vs 4.3/5.
Japan is richer in culture than 20 of 22 Asian countries; Thailand is richer in culture than 19 of 22 Asian countries.
Passport reach
what the passport opens
Japan's passport reaches 122 destinations visa-free to Thailand's 39 — Japan opens more doors without a visa.
Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.
Airports
international connectivity
Flight connectivity in the biggest cities
Between the two, Japan is better connected — 289M passengers/yr vs 118M passengers/yr.
Japan is busier than 81 of 87 countries worldwide; Thailand is busier than 69 of 87 countries worldwide. Japan sees ~2 air passengers per resident a year; Thailand sees ~2 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
Climate
where most people live · °C
Japan runs -10°C to 37°C for most people; Thailand runs 20°C to 40°C for most people.
Hachinohe runs colder, at -25°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.