Moving to Philippines from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Philippines? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 41.5% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩115,146,750 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly ₱2,900,793 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
₩115,146,750 → ₱2,900,793
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 47.5% less
Groceries
pay 41.3% less
Transportation
pay 38.4% less
Housing
pay 27.9% less
Childcare
pay 64.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.5% 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.
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 23% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Philippines.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
-
5.7,350
South Korea
- 6,123
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Philippines compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs 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
South Korea 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
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
South Korea 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
South Korea performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
On average Philippines is about 37% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Budget about ₱725,198 for 3 months in Philippines (based on a ₩115,146,750 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?
South Korea performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
