- CostAffordable≈12% under Asia
- SafetyCaution1.0/5
- MobilityLimited2.1/5
- CultureGood3.7/5
- ClimateWarm21–37°
Top cities
- Davao1.7M residents
- Manila25.9M residents
- Budta1.3M residents
- Malingao1.1M residents
- Cebu City3.2M residents
Source: GeoNames
Cost of living in Philippines
Affordable for Asia.
Philippines is cheaper than 18 of 22 Asian countries — roughly 12% below the Asian median of $1,032/mo.
The city you choose shifts your budget — Manila ($1,115) runs 1.4× Dumaguete ($772).
Good to know — low cost often trades against local salaries and visa options — budget for income, not just spending. Learn how we measure this →
Safety in Philippines
The one thing to watch: road accidents.
Philippines is less safe than 20 of 22 Asian countries — well below the Asian median (2.1/5).
Road accidents: highest in Manila, far calmer elsewhere — a local risk, not a national one.
Good to know — a calm national average can hide neighbourhood-level crime — research the specific district you would live in. Learn how we measure this →
Getting around Philippines
Mobility in Philippines needs more planning across its cities.
Philippines is harder to get around than 12 of 22 Asian countries — level with the Asian median (2.2/5).
Across 4 cities, getting around stays within a narrow band — no single city is a real outlier.
Good to know — strong airport access can coexist with weak everyday transit — check the mode you would actually use. Learn how we measure this →
Culture in Philippines
Culture in Philippines concentrates in its big cities — Manila leads, Davao is lighter.
Philippines is richer in culture than 14 of 22 Asian countries — a notch above the Asian median (3.5/5).
Manila reaches 3.9 while Davao sits at 2.2 — check the specific city, not the country.
1999UNESCO ↗- Natural
- Natural beauty
1995UNESCO ↗- Cultural
- Living landscape
1993UNESCO ↗- Natural
- Natural beauty
1999UNESCO ↗- Cultural
- Architectural landmark
1993UNESCO ↗- Cultural
- Architectural landmark
2014UNESCO ↗- Natural
- Wildlife habitat
Good to know — a strong national culture score can be carried by one or two big cities — check the specific city, not only the country average. Learn how we measure this →
Airports in Philippines
Ninoy Aquino International Airport is Philippines' busiest gateway.
Philippines is busier than 64 of 87 countries worldwide. It sees ~83 air passengers per 100 residents a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
13 major airports handle about 89M passengers a year. Tap any to see its nearest cities and how far they are.
Good to know — passenger volume is total throughput, not direct-route breadth; a large hub can still lack flights to your region. Learn how we measure this →
Passport strength in Philippines
Philippines's passport ranks #68 worldwide — 64 destinations visa-free.
This is the passport you’d gain by naturalizing here — a long-horizon payoff measured in years of residency, not a signal for the move itself.
- Mobility
- #6864 destinations
- GDP reach
- #1279.4% of world GDP
- Heritage
- #106246 of 1,353 UNESCO sites
Good to know — a mobility rank counts how many destinations you can enter, not how useful they are; a strong passport can still gate the one place you care about. Learn how we measure this →
Climate in Philippines
Warm summers, gentle winters.
Where most people in the Philippines live, it's typically 21° to 37° feels-like across the year; sun is plentiful, up to ~289 days a year in Laoag.
Feels-like °C — where most people live, vs the city-to-city spread
Good to know— a country isn't one climate but a range; the extremes here are different cities, not the same place across seasons. Learn how we measure this →
Who thrives in Philippines
Philippines suits a wide range of lifestyles.
Fit is scored per lifestyle and anchored to the cities that serve each best — Winter Escapist leads. Pick one to see exactly where it works.
Great fit
Decent fit
Good to know — fit is by city, not country; a lifestyle that thrives here may only do so in one or two of its cities. Learn how we measure this →