San Juan vs Roxas
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
San Juan is approximately 5.3x more expensive than Roxas based on cost of living including rent. This makes Roxas a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Roxas has a FIRE Score of 84/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Roxas is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
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San Juan
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Roxas
Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.
About these cities
About Roxas
Roxas is a cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom in the center at $319/mo and a single adult's budget tier at $750/mo, but the average local net salary of $574/mo means most residents are not the ones renting those center apartments. The overall expat score of 82/100 and FIRE score of 84/100 look strong on paper, yet a retiree score of 57/100 and limited English proficiency suggest this is not a soft landing for everyone. Digital nomads get a workable 50 Mbps and a $22/mo internet bill, but the SEZ Remote Work Visa ties you to a PEZA zone, which is a real constraint. Come for the $3 restaurant meals and the 3 m elevation, not for the healthcare, which is only fair.
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.
Roxas costs roughly 6.9x less than San Juan. San Juan has significantly faster average internet speeds (90 Mbps vs 50 Mbps). Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
San Juan is approximately 5.3x more expensive than Roxas based on cost of living including rent. This makes Roxas a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Roxas has a FIRE Score of 84/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Roxas is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About San Juan
San Juan is a cheap, safe, English-friendly base for expats who want Manila access without Manila chaos, and the numbers back it up: a one-bedroom outside the center runs $95/mo, an inexpensive restaurant meal is $4, and the safety index sits at 70/100. The catch is money. A local average net salary of $238/mo cannot touch the $1,500/mo income required for the SRRV Retirement Visa, and the comfortable tier runs $2,155/mo, so this is a place for remote earners and retirees with outside income, not for anyone hunting local wages. Add a small expat community, air quality at 68, and typhoon season from May to October, and San Juan rewards the flexible and the frugal, not the fussy.
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.
$2,474/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Roxas
Roxas is a cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom in the center at $319/mo and a single adult's budget tier at $750/mo, but the average local net salary of $574/mo means most residents are not the ones renting those center apartments. The overall expat score of 82/100 and FIRE score of 84/100 look strong on paper, yet a retiree score of 57/100 and limited English proficiency suggest this is not a soft landing for everyone. Digital nomads get a workable 50 Mbps and a $22/mo internet bill, but the SEZ Remote Work Visa ties you to a PEZA zone, which is a real constraint. Come for the $3 restaurant meals and the 3 m elevation, not for the healthcare, which is only fair.
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.
$2,524/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | San Juan | Roxas |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $1703.75 | $318.8 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $95.31 | $220 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1143.73 | $520 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $1463 | $350 |
| Safety Index | 70 | 70 |
| Internet Speed | 90Mbps | 50Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | San Juan | Roxas |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $526/mo | $476/mo |
| Excluding rent | $431/mo | $256/mo |
| Rent | $95.00/mo | $220/mo |
| Groceries | $98.00/mo | $103/mo |
| Dining out | $40.00/mo | $28.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $84.00/mo | $32.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $179/mo | $93.00/mo |
| Transport | $30.00/mo | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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