How the numbers are built

Every cost on ExpatGoals is worked out in pesos from published prices wherever we can find them, and each line says how solid it is.

Three labels, on every line

Open any line of a breakdown on the map to see its working and links. The sources page lists everything used for each place.

Five lifestyle levels

• Local is a frugal expat living the way locals do: a basic room or studio away from the expat areas, cooking at home and eating at carinderias, jeepneys, fans rather than air-conditioning, and no private health insurance. For comparison, each breakdown also shows what the average local family in that region spends, from the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2023 Family Income and Expenditure Survey.
• Affluent, Wealthy and Ultra are built up category by category, from a good condo with part-time help to an estate with a full household staff.
• Comfortable sits midway between Local and Affluent. It is not yet priced item by item, so every line at this level is an estimate.

The level names describe lifestyles, not income percentiles. For the Philippines, each total also shows where it sits against local family incomes, using the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2021 income survey by income decile, raised 24% for inflation since. An Affluent budget is typically two to three times what the average top-10% local family earns. Surveys under-count the richest families, so treat this as a guide.

Category by category

Housing

Asking rents from Philippine listing sites for each place and level. Asking prices often run above what tenants finally pay. Families get extra bedrooms. Where a place has too few long-term listings online, the figure is labelled an estimate.

Food and dining

Groceries as a multiple of the PSA's minimum food cost per person, plus a stated number of meals out at published prices, from fast food to fine-dining tasting menus. Food prices outside Metro Manila are scaled by how that region's spending compares with Manila's.

Transport

Ride-hailing fares from the transport regulator's fare matrix and the jeepney minimum fare, or fuel at current pump prices plus upkeep for your own cars. Drivers are counted under household help. Buying a car is not included.

Utilities and internet

Electricity use at Meralco's latest residential rate, fiber internet at current plan prices, and an allowance for water, gas and phones. Outside Meralco's area we use its rate as a stand-in, and say so.

Household help

Staff count × the regional minimum wage for domestic workers, × 1.5 because most employers pay above the minimum, plus 13th-month pay and government contributions.

Health insurance and care

Published prices for international health plans for expats, priced in US dollars and converted at the current rate. Premiums rise steeply with age.

Schooling

For families only: published tuition at private and international schools, or the nearest equivalent where a place has no international school.

Leisure and travel

Gym and flight prices are published; the rest (hotels, going out, clubs) are our allowances, so this line is labelled an estimate.

Your own choices

On any place you can open “Make it yours” to price a single line at a different level, for example an Affluent home with no household help and ride-hailing instead of a car, or local clinics instead of an insurance plan. You can also set the age of the oldest adult. International health plan prices are quoted for a 50-year-old, and we scale them by age: about 0.55× under 40, 1.6× at 55–64 and 2.35× at 65 and over, based on published price ranges by age. The 55–64 figure is our own interpolation. Your choices also apply to the rankings and the budget match.

Countries other than the Philippines

The Philippines is our most detailed country. For the other countries we use the same lifestyle bundles with each country's own prices, worked out in its own currency. So far, most of those prices are our estimates: typically only the main rents are taken from published listings or reports. Each line is labelled, so you can see which is which, and we replace estimates with sourced figures as we find them.

Keeping prices current

Most published prices are not updated on a schedule, so every figure carries the month it was last checked. Between checks, prices are rolled forward with the official consumer price index for their category, such as housing or food, so a rent checked six months ago moves with housing inflation until we check it again. Each breakdown line shows its check date and any adjustment, and estimates show a likely range.

Currencies

Costs are calculated in pesos and shown in your chosen currency using daily exchange rates from Rates By Exchange Rate API. Sources were last checked on 11 November 2026. Prices in the Philippines were rising quickly at that point (7.2% inflation in September 2026), so we plan to refresh the figures regularly.

What is not included

Visa and immigration fees, flights home, income tax, and one-off setup costs such as deposits, furniture or buying a car.