Philippines
A solid all-round choice. Ranked 20 of 40, strongest on affordability, softest on safety.
1 of 6 axes rest on data we could not verify yet; unverified inputs score a neutral 50 and are marked "partial data".
Key facts
Visa & residency
The SRRV is deposit-based rather than income-based. SRRV Classic requires a bank deposit of USD 15,000 to USD 50,000 depending on age and pension status, with pensioners needing a lifetime pension of at least USD 800/month single or USD 1,000/month with dependents.
Issued by the Philippine Retirement Authority to applicants aged 40 and over, with lower-deposit SRRV Courtesy options for former Filipinos and qualifying groups. Deposit must arrive via inward remittance to a PRA-accredited bank.
Healthcare
Quality varies sharply between urban and rural areas. Private hospitals in major cities offer superior equipment and faster treatment with English-speaking staff, while public healthcare faces staffing shortages and unequal access.
Expats are advised to hold international health insurance covering treatment and medical evacuation rather than relying on the government PhilHealth scheme alone.
Cost of living
A single person's estimated monthly costs are about ₱31,336 (roughly USD 555) excluding rent, so a comfortable single-person budget with rent typically lands under USD 1,500 per month.
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages about ₱19,760 per month (roughly USD 350), with a typical range of ₱8,000 to ₱45,709.
Safety & climate
The Philippines ranked 102nd of 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index with a score of 2.092. Overall risk is moderate, and travel advisories warn against parts of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.
Warm year-round with a mean annual temperature around 26.6°C, a rainy season from June to November and a dry season from December to May. Highland areas such as Baguio are notably cooler, and typhoons are common.
Community & language
No verified data yet
English is an official language and widely spoken, so day-to-day communication, healthcare and administration are easy for English speakers.
The Philippines has two official languages, Filipino and English, which makes daily life and paperwork accessible for English speakers.
Taxes
Resident and non-resident aliens are taxed only on income from sources within the Philippines, so foreign-source income such as an overseas pension is generally outside the Philippine tax net.
The Philippines maintains double taxation agreements with around 45 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan.
Compare Philippines with its closest rivals
The three countries whose RetireScore sits nearest.
