Moving to Philippines from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Philippines — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 69.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ₱1,470,000 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Philippines cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 77.6% less
Groceries
pay 45.2% less
Transportation
pay 51.3% less
Housing
pay 82.1% less
Childcare
pay 81.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 63.3% 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.
What salary do you need in Philippines?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₱1,470,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →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 68% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Philippines, based on official data.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
-
2.37,857
United States
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Philippines.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Philippines performs significantly better than United States 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 United States 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
United States 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
United States 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 United States 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
United States performs better than Philippines across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Bureau of Internal Revenue (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Philippines vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Can you move from United States to Philippines?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Yes — Philippines is on average about 69% cheaper than United States. 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 ₱367,500 in Philippines on a $75,000 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 7.1 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?
Philippines performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to United States?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 36.8 in United States. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In United States, the official language is English.
