Moving to Philippines from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Belgium to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Belgium to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 63.4% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly ₱1,720,000 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 57°F in Brussels, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Belgium and Philippines.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → ₱1,720,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 80.1% less

Groceries

pay 30.3% less

Transportation

pay 59.7% less

Housing

pay 72.0% less

Childcare

pay 76.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 57.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 70.29 PHP (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Philippines cost about 49% less than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Philippines

Pasig 30%
Angeles 28%
Batangas 25%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Belgium to Philippines.

Living there in 2020
566 ↑ 6% vs 2015

people born in Belgium live in Philippines · UN DESA

Who's moving to Philippines?

Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Belgium.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
PH
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BE
4.6
PH
9.7

Belgium performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
PH
$560
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
35.7
PH
7.9

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
PH
92.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
PH
1.5t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Philippines leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
44.2
PH
7.1
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
52.8%
PH
27.8%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
PH
2.2%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
PH
$4,171

Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
PH
70.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.1
PH
21.7

Belgium performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), Bureau of Internal Revenue (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Manila Rain: 86.7 in/yr (2201 mm)
88° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Manila
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 91°/79°F (33°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 87°/77°F (30°/25°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Manila
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Philippines. To live, work, or study long-term in Philippines, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Philippines's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Philippines

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Philippines without a visa.
Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Required
Philippines passport holders need a visa to enter Belgium.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Philippines than Belgium?

On average Philippines is about 63% less expensive than Belgium, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Philippines?

Budget about ₱430,000 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Philippines?

Connectivity is usually fine (Philippines: 7.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Philippines offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Philippines safe for expats?

Belgium performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.

How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Belgium?

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 35.7 in Belgium. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Philippines?

The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE PH
Population 11,941,781 116,786,962
Currency Euro (€) Philippine Peso (₱)
Languages Dutch, French, German English, Filipino
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +63
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911