- CostAffordable≈18% under Asia
- SafetyCaution1.0/5
- MobilityLimited2.1/5
- CultureGood3.4/5
- ClimateWarm24–35°
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.
Its $908 median runs ~18% below Asia's median major city ($1,102); 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.
Most hazards across Philippines sit in a normal range — road accidents is the one area that runs higher.
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.
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.
The country average (3.4) is carried by a few cities: Manila reaches 3.7 while Davao sits at 0.6. Check the specific city, not the country.
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's busiest gateway.
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 offers solid global access.
- Mobility
- #6964 destinations
- GDP reach
- #1279.4% of world GDP
- Heritage
- #108246 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.
Across its cities, summer highs top out near 35°C feels-like while the coldest spots dip to around 24°C; sun is plentiful, up to ~289 days a year in Laoag.
Feels-like °C — monthly range across cities
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 →