Moving to Philippines from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 41.4% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly ₱2,850,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Philippines cheaper than Japan?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 42.0% less
Groceries
pay 29.8% less
Transportation
pay 45.2% less
Housing
pay 47.4% less
Childcare
pay 50.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.6% 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.
What salary do you need in Philippines?
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → ₱2,850,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →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 25% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Philippines.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
-
3.14,634
Japan
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Philippines 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
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in water stress level.
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
Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in gdp per capita.
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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Philippines leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Bureau of Internal Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Philippines vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Can you move from Japan to Philippines?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average Philippines is about 41% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱712,500 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a ¥12,000,000 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?
Japan performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Japan?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
