Moving to Philippines from Jamaica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Jamaica to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Jamaica to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 23.2% cheaper than Jamaica overall. A JMD11,862,496 salary in Jamaica would need to be roughly ₱2,896,192 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Jamaica and Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
JMD11,862,496 → ₱2,896,192
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 49.2% less
Groceries
pay 31.3% less
Transportation
pay 54.3% less
Housing
pay 45.1% less
Childcare
pay 36.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Jamaica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Philippines performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics.
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 Jamaica leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Jamaica 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
Jamaica performs better than Philippines across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Jamaica 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
Jamaica generally does better on family life, though Philippines leads in literacy rate.
Data: Tax Admministration of Jamaica, 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 | Kingston | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kingston | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service, Jamaica,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica 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.
Jamaica passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Jamaica
Visa RequiredData: 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 Jamaica?
On average Philippines is about 37% less expensive than Jamaica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱724,048 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a JMD11,862,496 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?
Philippines performs significantly better than Jamaica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 in Jamaica.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Jamaica?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jamaica leads in health coverage index. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 5.5 in Jamaica. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Jamaica?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.
