Moving to Philippines from New Jersey

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Jersey to Philippines — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Jersey to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 60.4% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly ₱1,858,775 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 63°F in Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Jersey to Philippines.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 ₱1,858,775

To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 77.3% less

Groceries

pay 42.5% less

Transportation

pay 43.2% less

Housing

pay 68.1% less

Childcare

pay 86.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 65.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 61.66 PHP (July 2026)

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 60% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

Princeton 87%

Philippines

Angeles 41%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from New Jersey to Philippines, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
37,857 ↑ 6% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Philippines · UN DESA

Who's moving to Philippines?

Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How New Jersey and Philippines stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
PH
6.4%

Philippines performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
PH
53.0%

New Jersey performs better than Philippines across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NJ
4.5%
PH
2.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
PH
$9,700

New Jersey generally does better on employment & economy, though Philippines leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 yrs
PH
70.1 yrs

New Jersey 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.

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Manila Rain: 86.7 in/yr (2201 mm)
88° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Manila
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 91°/79°F (33°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 87°/77°F (30°/25°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Manila
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration 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

United States passport holder visiting Philippines

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Philippines without a visa.
Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Philippines passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

Data: 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 New Jersey?

Generally yes: Philippines runs about 60% cheaper than New Jersey on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Philippines?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₱464,694 in Philippines for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Philippines?

Working remotely from Philippines's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in New Jersey and Philippines.

How is healthcare in Philippines compared to New Jersey?

Philippines performs significantly better than New Jersey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Philippines compared to New Jersey?

The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

What language do they speak in Philippines?

The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In New Jersey, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

PH
Population 8,791,894 114,597,229
Currency United States Dollar ($) Philippine Peso (₱)
Languages English English, Filipino
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +63
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 911