Moving to Philippines from Cuba

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cuba to Philippines — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Cuba to Philippines, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cuba and Philippines stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

CU
4.4
PH
4.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
5.4
PH
9.7

Cuba generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CU
$2,575
PH
$560
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CU
94.3
PH
7.9

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba 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

CU
31.0
PH
92.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CU
1.9t
PH
1.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CU
2.9
PH
7.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CU
23.9%
PH
27.2%

Cuba generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CU
1.2%
PH
2.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CU
$12,300
PH
$9,700

Cuba performs better than Philippines across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CU
79.6 yrs
PH
70.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CU
4.1
PH
22.2

Cuba performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Havana Manila
Jan–Mar 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 91°/79°F (33°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 87°/77°F (30°/25°C)
View all months
Month Havana Manila
Jan 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C)
Feb 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)
Mar 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C)
Apr 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C)
May 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C)
Jul 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Oct 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C)
Dec 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C)

Data: Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba 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.

Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Philippines

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

Philippines passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Philippines passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cuba.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Philippines?

With 7.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Philippines can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Cuba and Philippines.

Is Philippines safe for expats?

Cuba generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.

How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Cuba?

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cuba leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.

What language do they speak in Philippines?

The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CU PH
Population 11,008,112 114,597,229
Currency Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) Philippine Peso (₱)
Languages Spanish English, Filipino
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +53 +63
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 106 911