Moving to Philippines from Panama
What to Expect
Considering a move from Panama to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Panama to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 37.6% cheaper than Panama overall. A PAB75,000 salary in Panama would need to be roughly ₱2,970,168 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Panama and Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
PAB75,000 → ₱2,970,168
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 57.5% less
Groceries
pay 19.9% less
Transportation
pay 30.4% less
Housing
pay 48.4% less
Childcare
pay 52.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.7% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to Panama.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Panama generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in homicide rate.
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 Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Panama 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
Panama 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Panama generally does better on employment & economy, though Philippines leads in unemployment 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
Panama generally does better on family life, though Philippines leads in literacy rate.
Data: General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, 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 | Panama City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 94°/65°F (34°/18°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 94°/69°F (35°/21°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 92°/70°F (34°/21°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 91°/68°F (33°/20°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Panama City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Panama 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.
Panama passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Panama
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 Panama?
On average Philippines is about 36% less expensive than Panama, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱742,542 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a PAB75,000 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: 7.6 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?
Panama generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.3 in Panama.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Panama?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 17.3 in Panama. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Panama: 78).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Panama?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 93°F in Panama City. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Panama City gets 75.1 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Panama, the official language is Spanish.
