Thursday, November 13, 2025

Where do most expats in the Philippines live?

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There are plenty of good answers already to this question as written.

I'm presuming the OP is thinking of moving to the Philippines. If that’s the case, a better question might be where's the best place to live in the Philippines?

If you like big cities - the upsides (like big malls, lots of restaurants, entertainment) and the downsides (like bumper-to-bumper traffic, noise, poor air quality, hot as hell) then by all means the big three - Manila, Cebu, Davao are your best bet.

But if you're looking for something a bit more laid back, the oceanfront city of Dumaguete is a medium sized college town, also with many good restaurants, but some added benefits as well:

  • Far lower cost of living than big cities.
  • Great beaches, resorts, restaurants, snorkeling and scuba diving nearby in Dauin.
  • Mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, excellent hiking and gorgeous nature just a few minutes west of Dumaguete.
  • Siquijor, a most beautiful vacation island, is a 45 minute boat ride away. Perfect for a weekend getaway!

Dumaguete, the “City of Gentle People”, was named the best place to retire in the Philippines. Forbes magazine named it one of their top 5 retirement destinations, the best place for beachfront living on a budget.

Negros Oriental, the province where Dumaguete is located, is a simply gorgeous island.

I've lived several places in the Philippines, and traveled to many others. The Dumaguete area is the most liveable place I've found. Unofficial expat count around here is around 18,000. I have found the people here to live up to their billing as gentle people - friendly and welcoming to expats.

I'll probably stay a while.

Namaste!

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