Moving to Philippines from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Considering a move from Massachusetts to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Massachusetts to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 58.3% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly ₱1,889,664 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₱1,889,664
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 77.8% less
Groceries
pay 35.4% less
Transportation
pay 40.8% less
Housing
pay 72.0% less
Childcare
pay 85.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 66.4% 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.
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 59% less than cities in Massachusetts.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Massachusetts to Philippines.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
-
2.37,857
United States
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Massachusetts.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Philippines performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Massachusetts 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
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Philippines leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Massachusetts performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting United States
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 Massachusetts?
On average Philippines is about 59% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱472,416 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
From major Philippines cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and Philippines are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Massachusetts?
Philippines performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.
