Moving to Philippines from Sri Lanka
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sri Lanka to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 2.2 times more expensive than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR25,173,710 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly ₱4,803,172 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Sri Lanka to Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
LKR25,173,710 → ₱4,803,172
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 12.1% less
Groceries
pay 33.4% more
Transportation
pay 2.5% more
Housing
pay 62.3% more
Childcare
pay 8.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.6% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Sri Lanka to Philippines, based on official data.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
- · · ·
-
48.182
Sri Lanka
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sri Lanka to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sri Lanka performs better than Philippines across all environment metrics.
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
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Philippines leads in education spending.
Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Colombo | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Colombo | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
National Meteorological Centre,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.
Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Required
Philippines passport holder visiting Sri Lanka
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Sri Lanka?
No — Philippines is on average about 4% more expensive than Sri Lanka. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₱1,200,793 in Philippines on a LKR25,173,710 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Philippines has 7.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Philippines safe for expats?
Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Philippines leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in suicide rate. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Sri Lanka?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.
