Moving to South Korea from Philippines
What to Expect
Considering a move from Philippines to South Korea? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Philippines to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 97.2% more expensive than Philippines overall. A ₱4,607,663 salary in Philippines would need to be roughly ₩178,238,441 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 88°F in Manila, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Philippines and South Korea.
What does your salary buy?
₱4,607,663 → ₩178,238,441
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 93.0% more
Groceries
pay 92.5% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 62.6% more
Childcare
pay 2.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 76.6% more
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 South Korea cost about 31% more than cities in Philippines.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Philippines to South Korea.
people moved from Philippines to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
-
5.64,942
Philippines
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Korea compared to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs significantly better than Philippines 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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines 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
Philippines generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.
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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in water stress level.
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 South Korea leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Korea performs significantly better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Internal Revenue, 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 | Manila | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Manila | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Philippines and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Philippines passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Required
South Korea passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Korea than Philippines?
On average South Korea is around 59% pricier than Philippines, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
Budget about ₩44,559,610 for 3 months in South Korea (based on a ₱4,607,663 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Korea: 45.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Korea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Korea safe for expats?
South Korea performs significantly better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Philippines.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Philippines?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 7.9 in Philippines. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Philippines: 58).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Philippines?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 88°F in Manila. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Manila gets 86.7 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Philippines, the official languages are English and Filipino.
