Moving to United Kingdom from Philippines

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Philippines to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 3.9 times more expensive than Philippines overall. A ₱4,598,400 salary in Philippines would need to be roughly £126,649 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 88°F in Manila, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Philippines to United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

₱4,598,400 £126,649

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 4.0 times more

Groceries

pay 26.9% more

Transportation

pay 4.7 times more

Housing

pay 4.0 times more

Childcare

pay 7.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PHP = 0.0124 GBP (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 United Kingdom cost about 82% more than cities in Philippines.

Philippines

Angeles 41%

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to United Kingdom

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2019
12,000 ↑ 140% vs 2018

people moved from Philippines to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Philippines and United Kingdom stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

PH
4.3
GB
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PH
9.7
GB
2.4

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Philippines across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PH
$560
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PH
7.9
GB
31.7

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PH
92.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PH
1.5t
GB
4.2t

Philippines generally does better on environment, though United Kingdom leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PH
7.6
GB
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PH
27.2%
GB
14.3%

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Philippines across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PH
2.2%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PH
$9,700
GB
$54,100

Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PH
70.1 yrs
GB
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PH
22.2
GB
3.8

United Kingdom 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Manila London
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Manila London
Jan 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Philippines and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Philippines passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Philippines

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

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 United Kingdom than Philippines?

Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 123% higher than Philippines on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ₱4,598,400 comparable salary, that's around £31,662 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

With 41.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Philippines and United Kingdom.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Philippines.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Philippines?

Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 7.9 in Philippines. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Philippines: 58).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Philippines?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 88°F in Manila. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Manila gets 86.7 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Philippines, the official languages are English and Filipino.

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At a Glance

PH GB
Population 114,597,229 67,791,400
Currency Philippine Peso (₱) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages English, Filipino English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +63 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 911 999