Moving to Philippines from Kenya
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Kenya to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Kenya to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 28.2% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,705,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly ₱5,662,246 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Kenya to Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
KES9,705,000 → ₱5,662,246
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 7.5% less
Groceries
pay 92.5% more
Transportation
pay 32.2% less
Housing
pay 64.1% more
Childcare
pay 24.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.2% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Kenya to Philippines, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
80.55
Kenya
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Kenya to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Philippines performs significantly better than Kenya 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 Kenya 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
Kenya performs better than Philippines across all environment metrics.
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
Philippines performs significantly better than Kenya 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
Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in top income tax 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
Philippines generally does better on family life, though Kenya leads in education spending.
Data: Revenue Authority, 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 | Nairobi | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.
Kenya passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Kenya?
No — Philippines is on average about 24% more expensive than Kenya. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₱1,415,562 in Philippines on a KES9,705,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Philippines has 7.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Philippines safe for expats?
Philippines performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Kenya?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 1.0 in Kenya. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
