Asia · 17 cities
Philippines for digital nomads: 17 cities compared (2026)
Philippines has 17 cities in the dataset. Manila scores highest under balanced weights at 55/100. Philippines has a dedicated remote-work visa, the Digital nomad visa (DNV).
Dataset 2026.10.7. How scoring works.
Cities in Philippines, ranked
Balanced weights, every factor equal. Open a city for the full breakdown with sources, or rank them with your own weights.
| # | City | Score | Cost/mo | Internet | Comfortable months | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manila Megacity gateway to the Philippines | 55 | $1,025 | 26.9 Mbps | 3/12 | English everywhere · BGC and Makati |
| 2 | Tagaytay Cool ridge town above Taal volcano, two hours from Manila | 54 | $1,150* | 25.1 Mbps | 3/12 | Taal volcano views · Cooler than Manila |
| 3 | Baguio Cool mountain city of the Philippine highlands | 54 | $1,150* | 23.1 Mbps | 6/12 | Cool climate at 1,500 metres · University town |
| 4 | Moalboal Dive town on Cebu's west coast famous for its sardine run | 53 | $1,150* | 22.4 Mbps | 3/12 | Sardine run off Panagsama · Pescador Island diving |
| 5 | Dumaguete Quiet university city with a long-standing expat scene | 53 | $1,150* | 23.9 Mbps | 5/12 | Silliman University · Dive sites at Apo Island |
| 6 | Coron Wreck-diving town among Palawan's limestone islands | 53 | $1,150* | 20.1 Mbps | 4/12 | Japanese WWII wreck dives · Kayangan Lake |
| 7 | El Nido (Palawan) Limestone-lagoon gateway to Palawan's Bacuit Bay | 53 | $1,150* | 21.3 Mbps | 4/12 | Island-hopping lagoons · Beach town on the edge of nature |
| 8 | Puerto Princesa Palawan's capital and the long road to El Nido | 52 | $1,150* | 20.1 Mbps | 3/12 | Underground River · Honda Bay island hopping |
| 9 | Davao City Mindanao's orderly big city with durian and Mount Apo | 52 | $1,178 | 18.2 Mbps | 3/12 | Safe for the Philippines · Mount Apo |
| 10 | Iloilo City The Philippines' tidiest mid-size city, with bike lanes | 52 | $1,150* | 12.5 Mbps | 3/12 | Esplanade and bike lanes · Batchoy and seafood |
| 11 | Angeles City (Clark) Clark's airport city: cheap, well connected, with a notorious bar strip | 52 | $1,150* | 13.7 Mbps | 3/12 | Clark international airport · Clark Freeport Zone |
| 12 | Boracay (Malay) White Beach island with a cap on visitor numbers | 52 | $1,150* | 13 Mbps | 3/12 | White Beach · Kitesurfing at Bulabog |
| 13 | Cebu City Island base with English everywhere | 51 | $1,150* | 22.4 Mbps | 2/12 | Diving and islands · English widely spoken |
| 14 | Panglao (Bohol) Bohol's resort island with Alona Beach and an airport of its own | 50 | $1,150* | 21.3 Mbps | 2/12 | Alona Beach · Diving at Balicasag |
| 15 | Bacolod Easy-going sugar city with the MassKara festival and the best chicken inasal | 49 | $1,150* | 11.6 Mbps | 3/12 | MassKara festival in October · Chicken inasal |
| 16 | Cagayan de Oro Northern Mindanao's hub, with white-water rafting on its doorstep | 48 | $1,150* | 14.7 Mbps | 3/12 | White-water rafting · Gateway to Camiguin and Bukidnon |
| 17 | Siargao (General Luna) Surf island with a fast-growing remote-work crowd | 47 | $1,150* | 21.3 Mbps | 0/12 | Cloud 9 surf break · General Luna cafés |
* national estimate
National figures shared by every city
These come from country-level sources and apply to every city in Philippines; city pages add the local numbers.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 4.31 per 100,000 people | Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2024 |
| Political stability | 51 (percentile, World Bank WGI) | Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), 2025 |
| Health coverage index | 69 (WHO UHC index, 0–100) | UHC service coverage index, 2023 |
| Life expectancy | 66.4 years | Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, 2021 |
| Human Development Index | 0.72 | Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), 2023 |
| English proficiency | high | EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), 2024 |
| Starlink | available | Starlink availability map, 2026-10 |
Visas and entry
What three common passports get at the border, from the passport index. Pick your own passport on the ranker for the full picture.
| Passport | Entry rule |
|---|---|
| US passport | 30 days visa-free |
| EU passport | 30 days visa-free |
| UK passport | 30 days visa-free |
Compare cities in Philippines
Head-to-head pages for the pairs people look at most.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Philippines good for digital nomads?
- Manila scores 55/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 767 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. Philippines's 17 cities average 51.8/100. Strongest factors in Manila: air quality and internet; weakest: climate.
- What is the cheapest city in Philippines for a remote worker?
- Manila, at about $1,025 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Davao City is the most expensive city-priced option at $1,178.
- Does Philippines have a digital nomad visa?
- Yes: the Digital nomad visa (DNV). Details, documents and official sources are in the Philippines visa guide.
- How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in Philippines without a visa?
- US passport: 30 days visa-free. EU passport (Germany as reference): 30 days visa-free. UK passport: 30 days visa-free. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.
- Which city in Philippines has the fastest internet?
- Manila, with a measured median download of 26.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.
- How safe is Philippines?
- Philippines records 4.31 homicides per 100,000 people (Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2024) and sits at the 51th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.
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