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 56.5% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ₱1,848,578 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₱1,848,578
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 76.2% less
Groceries
pay 32.6% less
Transportation
pay 42.0% less
Housing
pay 69.8% less
Childcare
pay 83.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.7% 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.
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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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States 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
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
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
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.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 60% 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 ₱462,144 in Philippines on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?
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 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to United States?
United States 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 36.1 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 66°F in Washington. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 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.
