---
title: "Bandung vs Manila for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/bandung-vs-manila
description: "Under balanced weights Manila edges it, 47 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Bandung is stronger on safety; Manila on internet, climate, air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Bandung vs Manila for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Manila edges it, 47 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Bandung is stronger on safety; Manila on internet, climate, air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 65 | 65 | tie |
| Safety | 50 | 33 | Bandung |
| Healthcare | 53 | 51 | Bandung |
| Internet | 37 | 56 | Manila |
| Visa ease | 22 | 33 | Manila |
| Getting there & around | 11 | 22 | Manila |
| Climate | 8 | 25 | Manila |
| Air quality | 61 | 77 | Manila |
| Quality of life | 45 | 57 | Manila |

## Cost

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,042 | $1,042 | tie |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 4.1 | 12.7 | Bandung |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55.5 | 52.7 | Bandung |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 69 | Manila |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 66.4 yrs | Bandung |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 10.8 Mbps | 26.9 Mbps | Manila |
| Upload | 5.3 Mbps | 7.8 Mbps | Manila |

## Visa

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh | none listed | Bandung |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,998/mo | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | 30 days | Manila |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | 30 days | Manila |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | 30 days | Manila |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 9 | 85 | Manila |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Bandung |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Manila |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Bandung | Manila | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 1 | 3 | Manila |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 22.7 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | Manila |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Bandung or Manila?

Manila is cheaper: about $1,042 per month versus $1,042 for one person.

### Is Bandung or Manila safer?

Bandung scores higher on safety (50 vs 33), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Bandung or Manila?

Manila: a measured median of 26.9 Mbps versus 10.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Bandung](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/bandung) · [Manila](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/manila). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/bandung-vs-manila