Moving to Philippines from Indonesia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Indonesia to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Indonesia to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 16.9% more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,356,041,250 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly ₱4,969,456 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Indonesia and Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
IDR1,356,041,250 → ₱4,969,456
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 38.9% more
Groceries
pay 25.8% more
Transportation
pay 5.4% more
Housing
pay 21.0% more
Childcare
pay 9.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.1% more
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 26% more than cities in Indonesia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Indonesia to Philippines.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
- · · ·
-
11.3,515
Indonesia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Indonesia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Indonesia generally does better on environment, though Philippines leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Indonesia generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Indonesia generally does better on employment & economy, though Philippines leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Indonesia generally does better on family life, though Philippines leads in education spending.
Data: Direktorat Jenderal Pajak, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Jakarta | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jakarta | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG),
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia 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.
Indonesia passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa FreeData: 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 Indonesia?
On average Philippines is around 8% pricier than Indonesia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱1,242,364 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a IDR1,356,041,250 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: 7.6 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?
Indonesia generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Indonesia?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Indonesia?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.
