Each mainPokemongame brings us to a new region filled with unique Pokemon, towns, and scenery. These regions aren’t just created from nothing though; they all have a real-world equivalent. Just like the real world, living expenses can vary based on location, even if they are geographically close to each other.
If you have plans to teleport into the world of Pokemon but worry about living expenses, we’ve got you covered. Okay, we know this isn’t possible, but we are interested in knowing the living expenses of each region. Here, you can find each Pokemon region, ranked by how expensive it is to live there.
9Paldea
Pokemon Scarlet And Violet
In last place, we have Paldea. We’ve placed this newer region in last place for a few reasons. Firstly, we have to address the school system. There doesn’t seem to be any tuition for attending either Naranja or Uva Academy, so there is no education expense. We also took into consideration the real-world location Paldea is based on.
This region draws inspiration from the Iberian Peninsula. you’re able to find Spain here, which generally has a low living cost, especially when compared to the United States. The cost of living greatly depends on what town you live in, but in general, Paldea feels a bit more affordable than other regions.
8Hoenn
Pokemon Ruby And Sapphire
Next up, we have the Hoenn region. This quaint little island is inspired by Kyushu, which is the southernmost island of Japan. In real life, this area is laidback and rural, so it makes sense that Hoenn is similar.
Generally, it costs more to live in big cities and urban areas, and because of this, the Hoenn region is the second-cheapest place to live. This doesn’t mean that the Hoenn region isn’t beautiful though! With beaches galore and a volcano in the center, you can have a tropical getaway without even needing to travel to a new ‘country’.
7Sinnoh
Pokemon Diamond And Pearl
This is the second of four Japan-inspired regions on our list, based on Hokkaido. This is a northern Japanese island, making it a bit colder than the other three. Overall, living in the Sinnoh region is probably a fairly average experience in terms of expenses.
It’s not too cheap, but not as expensive as other Japanese locations that have cities like Tokyo.Sinnoh also appears in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, where it was referred to as the Hisui region. The Hisui region was quaint and not modern, so that would probably come in last place (making it the cheapest location).
6Johto
Pokemon Gold And Silver
You may be wondering, “Why are all the Japanese-inspired regions grouped up?”. This is because a country can have varying living costs, but it’s generally around the same. Johto is based on the Kansai region of Japan, which is more urban than the other two. The region contains cities like Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe.
The Johto region is home to the iconic Goldenrod City, which even sounds like an expensive place to live. Here at TheGamer,we even compared it to New York City, as it’s full of stores, gaming locations, and people from every walk of life.
5Kanto
Pokemon Red And Blue
The most expensive Japan-based region we have is Kanto. This is based on the real-world region of Kanto, which is where you can find Tokyo. This Japanese city is absolutely massive, encompassing several other ‘towns’. Additionally, living here can be quite pricey.
There are different iterations of the Kanto region, but in general, it remains the smallest of the regions in the franchise. Because of this, Kanto feels quite cozy and bustling; which is expected for a region directly named after its real-world location.
4Alola
Pokemon Sun And Moon
Finally, we’ve made our way through the four Japanese regions and we’re at the Alola region. This is based on the Hawaiian islands, which are part of the United States. Cost of living in the United States is high, but Alola is detached and peaceful, earning the fourth place spot.
The residents of the Alola region are laid back and a bit simpler than other regions. Pokemon Sun and Moon didn’t even have gyms; you would complete trialsas part of the island challenge. These still marked your progress, but they didn’t involve going into a large gym and battling your way to the gym leader.
3Galar
Pokemon Sword And Shield
The Galar region takes us to the United Kingdom, and was the first main Pokemon game that launched on the Nintendo Switch. Here, you can find quaint British villages, as well as rather large cities and, of course, stadiums filled with hundreds of people.
Funding and building all those stadiums is probably quite expensive, but don’t forget about the fashion of food markets in Galar. Between going to a stadium to catch a Pokemon battle, buying the ingredients to make a delicious curry, and saving up for designer fashion, you’ll need to have a lot of money on hand.
2Unova
Pokemon Black And White
It makes sense that the region based on New York is one of the most expensive regions in the game. As stated before, living in a city can be expensive, especially if that city is based on one of the most expensive in the country.
I mean, just look at Catelia City. This circular city is absolutely massive, filled with skyscrapers and people. In the game,you’ll see tons of people rushing around; if you stand in their way, they will just quickly go around you to reach their destination.
1Kalos
Pokemon X And Y
In first place, we have the Kalos region. This region is based on France, and definitely feels a bit fancier than the other regions. Interestingly, this is also the most populated Pokemon region so far (this could change with future games though).
Kalos is home to the iconic Lumoise City, as well as places like Coumarine City, where you’re able to find a pricey hotel and a sleek monorail. If you feel like taking on the Elite Four and becoming a Pokemon Champion, you enter a literal castle.
