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Philippines · Asia

La Union

Best for: Surf-first Philippines nomads who want a slower base than Cebu or Manila.

Mid-tier monthly cost

Full breakdown

$1,130/mo

  • Rent$450
  • Groceries$220
  • Dining out$200
  • Transport$40
  • Utilities$90
  • Coworking$130

Climate at a glance

Year heatmap

Tropical maritime (monsoon)

Best months

  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D

Annual range: 25°–29°C

FIRE math at this cost

Run scenarios

Annual spend

$13,560

FIRE target (4% SWR)

$339,000

Coast-FIRE @ 7%/30yr

$44,533

Editorial estimates using the standard 4% Trinity-study rule. Run the FIRE calculator for sequence-of-returns risk, custom withdrawal rates, and country-specific tax assumptions.

Visa for nomads

High nomad-friendly

Pathway

Extendable tourist

Program

—

Typical max stay

36 months

Tourist visa extendable in-country up to 36 months; SRRV retiree route also popular.

Visa concierges

Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.

Field notes

Surf-town stretch on the Luzon west coast — San Juan is the nomad pocket, Urbiztondo Beach is the daily anchor. Same Philippines tourist visa story as Cebu (extendable up to 36 months in-country). Coworking is thin compared to Manila; expect to mix surf-camp wifi with a couple of dedicated spots. Wet season (June–October) brings real swell but unreliable wifi during typhoons. Dry-season peak is November–April.

Tropical maritime — temperature is stable year-round (25–29°C). The wet/dry split is the structural calendar — June–October brings real swell but heavy typhoon-season rain (13–16 mm/day at peak). The dry-season comfort window is November–April; this is also the best surf window for west-coast Luzon.

Similar bases

Build your stack for La Union