Philippines · Asia

Siargao

Best for: Philippine surf-island nomads who want Cloud 9 and a Bali-Canggu-style expat scene at sub-Bali prices.

Mid-tier monthly cost

Full breakdown

$1,660/mo

Rent$700
Groceries$320
Dining out$280
Transport$50
Utilities$130
Coworking$180

Climate at a glance

Year heatmap

Tropical (Eastern Mindanao)

Best months

Annual range: 26°–28°C

Living essentials

Mostly country-level baselines. City-specific signals (air, neighborhood) override where we have them.

Tap water: Bottled only
Power: Type A/B/C · 220V/60Hz
Internet (typical): 50–200 Mbps
Cards & cash: Hybrid — cards + cash
Tipping: 10% standard
Ride apps: Grab · InDrive
Medical infrastructure: Adequate; consider medevac cover

Visa for nomads

High nomad-friendly

Pathway

Long visa-free

Program

—

Typical max stay

1 months

Same Philippine visa story. Surfing capital of the Philippines on the eastern Mindanao coast.

Visa concierges

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

FIRE math at this cost

Run scenarios

Annual spend

$19,920

FIRE target (4% SWR)

$498,000

Coast-FIRE @ 7%/30yr

$65,421

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.

Field notes

Surfing capital of the Philippines on the eastern Mindanao coast — Cloud 9 is the famous reef break. The town of General Luna (GL) is the surf-and-tourist anchor; Pacifico (north of GL) is the calmer long-stay alternative. Philippine tourist visa-on-arrival applies. The structural draws are year-round surf (more consistent than Bali's seasonal swells), a Bali-Canggu-style nomad scene that has rapidly grown since 2018, and meaningfully sub-Bali pricing. The structural friction is Super Typhoon Rai (2021) — the rebuild is mostly complete but visible. Internet has improved since Starlink rollout.

Tropical (Eastern Mindanao) — meaningfully different rainfall pattern than the rest of the Philippines because Siargao sits on the Pacific-facing eastern coast. There's no real dry season — rainfall is well-distributed across the year with February–May the marginally drier window and October–December the wettest. Surf is best in the September–November swell window. Super Typhoon Rai (2021) caused major damage; rebuild is mostly complete.