India vs Philippines

India costs roughly 23% less than Philippines, though Philippines has significantly faster internet infrastructure. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

Household
Lifestyle
Schooling

India is approximately 23% less expensive than Philippines based on cost of living including rent. This makes India a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.

India has a FIRE Score of 100/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 55.7, suggesting moderate safety levels.

Recommended profile: India is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Overall Winner

India

New Delhi

About India

Skip this one if you need a straightforward retirement or nomad visa: neither exists, and PR/citizenship access is complex and difficult. Rent under $151/mo in city centers makes it a fit for budget-focused remote workers with existing income solutions who can tolerate medium expat safety and moderate political stability.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$2,554/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$296
Family (excl. rent)$1,059

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$151
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$95
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$348
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$222

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
100/100
Retiree Score
63/100
Nomad Score
79/100


Country Details →

About Philippines

Retirees on fixed incomes near the $1,500/mo SRRV minimum get the best deal here: rent outside the center runs under $200 and English is widely spoken, easing daily friction. But that low cost sits against a -1.1 political stability score and only medium expat safety ratings, so this suits people who can tolerate some instability for cash savings. Bad fit: anyone needing top-tier healthcare or a guaranteed path to citizenship.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$2,147/mo

🛂

Not sure which Philippines visa you qualify for?

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$521
Family (excl. rent)$1,854

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$333
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$186
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$664
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$363

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
100/100
Retiree Score
63/100
Nomad Score
78/100


Country Details →

Battle of Lifestyles

Scroll to compare

MetricIndiaPhilippines
Travel Advisory
Level 2: Increased CautionLevel 2: Increased Caution
Quality of Life Index
124 +27.1
96.9
Healthcare Index
65.5 67.3 +1.8
Safety Index
55.7
56.9 +1.2
Cost of Living Index
23.4 +5.428.8
Living Costs (Single, excl. rent)$295.5 +225.3$520.8
Living Costs (Family, excl. rent)$1,058.7 +795.3$1,854
1BR Apartment (Center)$150.97 +181.6$332.57
1BR Apartment (Outside)$94.96 +91.25$186.21
3BR Apartment (Center)$347.52 +316.42$663.94
3BR Apartment (Outside)$222.16 +140.7$362.86
Avg Internet Speed97.12 Mbps 187.25 Mbps +90.1

Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

We use a "Pure Data" approach, pulling raw facts from high-authority sources including private sources for real-time crowd-sourced pricing, the World Bank for stability metrics, and official government visa portals.

The FIRE Score is a dynamic metric based on your Monthly Income vs. Total Expenses. It calculates your potential savings rate; the more you save, the higher the score.

Our indices (Quality of Life, Healthcare, Safety, Cost of Living) are relative metrics. For example, a higher Quality of Life Index indicates better purchasing power, safety, and healthcare, while a higher Cost of Living Index means the country is more expensive relative to others.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of how suitable a country is for long-term retirement. It is calculated from three main factors: healthcare system quality, safety index, and the general cost of living.

The Nomad Score measures how well a country supports remote workers. It is calculated from average internet speeds, the cost of living, and the safety index.

The "Single" toggle calculates costs based on a 1-Bedroom apartment. "Family" assumes a 3-Bedroom apartment and the expenses for a household of four.