Moving to Philippines from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 72.4% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly ₱1,300,000 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 62°F in New York City, 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 New York?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 78.8% less
Groceries
pay 48.3% less
Transportation
pay 56.3% less
Housing
pay 84.7% less
Childcare
pay 85.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.7% 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?
$75,000 → ₱1,300,000
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 61% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Philippines
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New York to Philippines, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Philippines.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Philippines performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York 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
Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though New York leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Philippines vs New York
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Can you move from New York to Philippines?
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 New York?
Yes — Philippines is on average about 72% cheaper than New York. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₱325,000 in Philippines on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
Usually fine from major cities in Philippines. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to New York?
Philippines performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In New York, the official language is English.
