Moving to Philippines from Sweden
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sweden to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sweden to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 43.3% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly ₱2,363,424 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.
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 Sweden to Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
SEK728,567 → ₱2,363,424
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 75.0% less
Groceries
pay 23.4% less
Transportation
pay 59.8% less
Housing
pay 48.5% less
Childcare
pay 10.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.4% 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 39% less than cities in Sweden.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Sweden 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
- · · ·
-
25.643
Sweden
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sweden to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Data: Skatteverket, 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 | Stockholm | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.
Sweden passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Sweden?
Yes — Philippines is on average about 49% cheaper than Sweden. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₱590,856 in Philippines on a SEK728,567 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?
Sweden performs better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Sweden?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
