How Philippines compares across key indices
Cost of Living
36 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
72/100
Healthcare
50/100
Quality of Life
128/200
How far your money goes in Philippines
Cost of Living
36
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
27
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
36
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
38
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Philippines - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
72/100
Crime Index
25/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Philippines has 525 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $786 in Butuan to $945 in Manila. Iligan City leads on safety, scoring 72/100. Iligan City ranks highest for quality of life at 133/200.
Butuan
$786/mo
Iligan City
72/100
Iligan City
133/200
Manila
62/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manila | $945 | 67/100 | 131/200 | 62/100 | 49 |
| Quezon City | $874 | 67/100 | 131/200 | 59/100 | 49 |
| Davao | $854 | 69/100 | 132/200 | 58/100 | 47 |
| Caloocan | $852 | 69/100 | 132/200 | 57/100 | 46 |
| Taguig | $841 | 69/100 | 132/200 | 57/100 | 45 |
| Budta | $840 | 69/100 | 132/200 | 56/100 | 45 |
| Malingao | $836 | 70/100 | 132/200 | 56/100 | 45 |
| Zamboanga | $832 | 70/100 | 132/200 | 56/100 | 44 |
| Cebu City | $829 | 70/100 | 132/200 | 56/100 | 44 |
| Antipolo | $828 | 70/100 | 132/200 | 55/100 | 44 |
| Pasig City | $825 | 70/100 | 132/200 | 55/100 | 44 |
| Cagayan de Oro | $820 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 55/100 | 43 |
| Valenzuela | $819 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 55/100 | 43 |
| General Santos | $819 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 55/100 | 43 |
| Paranaque City | $817 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 55/100 | 43 |
| Las Piñas | $812 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 54/100 | 42 |
| Calamba | $810 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 54/100 | 42 |
| Makati City | $805 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 54/100 | 42 |
| Lapu-Lapu City | $805 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 42 |
| Angeles City | $803 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Imus | $803 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Iloilo | $802 | 71/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Marikina City | $802 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Mandaluyong City | $802 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Bacolod City | $801 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Mansilingan | $801 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Dasmariñas | $800 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Mandaluyong | $798 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Pasay | $797 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Tarlac City | $797 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Cotabato | $794 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 53/100 | 41 |
| Malabon | $793 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| San Jose del Monte | $792 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Bacoor | $792 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| San Pedro | $791 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Cabanatuan City | $790 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Iligan | $790 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Mandaue City | $789 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Iligan City | $787 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
| Butuan | $786 | 72/100 | 133/200 | 52/100 | 40 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Philippines. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
62
Verified records
20
Cities covered
6
Credential signals
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Taguig City
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Taguig
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Cainta
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Davao City
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Quezon City
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Taguig
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Ages and grades
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Primary
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Alabang
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Quezon City
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Clark Freeport Zone
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Pasig City
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High school
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Quezon City
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High school
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Ages and grades
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Tarlac
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Cavite
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Bacolod City
Ages and grades
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High school
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Ages vary by program
Primary
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Ages vary by program
International curriculum
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Pasig City
Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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High school
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Philippines
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A portion of affiliate revenue is donated to UNHCR
Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Philippines
Pollution Index
41/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
20.3ug/m3
Moderate
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Philippines, answered with data
Philippines has a cost of living index of 36 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $743 in Calasiao and reach $945 in Manila.
Calasiao is the most affordable city in Philippines in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $743 for a single person including rent. Isulan is the next most affordable at $744/mo.
Philippines has a safety index of 72/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Isulan scores highest on safety at 75/100.
Santa Cruz ranks highest for quality of life in Philippines, scoring 135/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $746/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Calasiao offers the lowest monthly costs at $743/mo.
Philippines scores 50/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Philippines's cost of living is roughly 64% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 73% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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