Compare · Philippines vs Singapore
Philippines vs Singapore for Australians leaving home
Philippines and Singapore run the same headline regime, territorial tax, so the decision turns on the details underneath: what each one does to capital gains, dividends and the Australian income you keep.
Both have a tax treaty with Australia, so either way you get a tie-breaker if the ATO contests your departure, and capped withholding (15%/10% vs 15%/10% on unfranked dividends/interest).
Philippines is the cheaper place to live day to day, roughly 45% of Sydney's basket against Singapore's 110% (indicative, ex-rent), which can outweigh a thinner tax saving over a full household budget.
Personalise this, enter your numbers once and every figure below becomes yours: “your estimated income tax: $14,200”, not “0, 22%”. Open the Country Comparison tool →
| 2 destinations | PhilippinesPhilippines | SingaporeSingapore |
|---|---|---|
| Tax | ||
| Regime | territorial, worldwide income not taxed | territorial, worldwide income not taxed |
| Income tax on salary | Progressive 0, 35% on Philippine-source compensation and business income; the 35% band starts at PHP 8m (~A$216k). | Progressive 0, 24%. A S$250k salary pays roughly 18% effective. |
| Capital gains | Foreign share gains: not taxed for resident aliens. Philippine listed shares: 0.6% stock transaction tax on gross sale. Unlisted Philippine shares: 15% CGT. (0% typical) | No capital gains tax for individuals. (0% typical) |
| Dividends | Foreign dividends: outside the Philippine net for resident aliens. Philippine dividends: 10% final withholding. | Singapore dividends tax-free (one-tier); foreign dividends generally exempt for individuals. |
| Interest | Generally untaxed locally | Generally untaxed locally |
| Crypto | No dedicated crypto tax rules: BIR guidance treats trading profits as taxable income when Philippine-source. Offshore-exchange gains of a resident alien are foreign-source and outside the net, but documentation matters. | No CGT: investment gains untaxed. Trading as a business is taxable income, frequency and intent matter. |
| Australia tax treaty | Yes, AU withholding capped at 15% dividends / 10% interest, tie-breaker available | Yes, AU withholding capped at 15% dividends / 10% interest, tie-breaker available |
| Social security | SSS/PhilHealth apply to local employment; retirees and remote workers on their own income are outside them. | CPF applies only to citizens/PRs, most expats on passes pay no CPF. |
| Visa | ||
| Best pathways |
|
|
| Visa ease | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Family on visas | Dependants covered on main pathways | Dependants covered on main pathways |
| Fastest timeline | ~0 months on the quickest pathway | ~2 months on the quickest pathway |
| Money | ||
| Rent (family home, monthly) | $2,000/mo | $9,500/mo |
| Rent (couple, monthly) | $1,100/mo | $5,200/mo |
| International school (per child/yr) | $14,000 | $45,000 |
| Health cover (family/yr) | $4,500 | $8,000 |
| Cost of living vs Sydney | 45% of Sydney (ex-rent) | 110% of Sydney (ex-rent) |
| Relocation one-off | ~$12,000 | ~$30,000 |
| Flights home (return, pp) | $1,300 | $1,400 |
| Life | ||
| Timezone vs AEST | 2h behind | 2h behind |
| Flight from Sydney | ~8.5 hours | ~8 hours |
| English | 9/10 | 10/10 |
| Safety | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Healthcare | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Schooling | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Climate | Tropical with a serious typhoon season (June, November); Manila is hot, humid and flood-prone. | Equatorial, 31°C and humid every single day. |
Costs, rates and visa figures are country-module data marked indicative until individually verified; FX and rental markets move constantly.
Honest downsides, side by side
Every destination hub on this site carries its downsides in the open. Here are both lists together, because the right question is rarely “which is better?” and usually “which set of problems would you rather live with?”
Philippines
- Infrastructure is the weak point: Manila traffic is globally infamous, power and internet reliability vary, and healthcare outside top private hospitals is thin.
- Safety requires judgment, petty crime in cities, and entire regions (western Mindanao) under standing government travel warnings.
- Typhoons are not an abstraction: multiple significant hits per year, with flooding even in metro Manila.
- Foreigners cannot own land (condos yes, land no), long-term settling means leases or a Filipino spouse's title.
- The banking system is parochial: moving money in is easy, opening accounts and moving it out less so.
Singapore
- No general nomad/retirement pathway: without a job, a business or serious capital, there is no way in.
- The world’s most expensive city on several measures, school fees and rent will eat a big share of the tax saving.
- A 4,000-a-year national day-count habit: many Australians in Singapore drift over 90 days back home. The treaty helps, but only if Singapore residency is solid.
- Employment Pass renewals are policy-sensitive; your long-term security is COMPASS points, not a right.
Make this comparison yours
The table above shows the general figures. Enter your income and family once and the tax rows become your numbers, “your estimated income tax in Manila/Cebu: $14,200”, not a range.