Photo: JupitReyes · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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🇵🇭 Filipinas
Siargao
Surf island around General Luna with endless palms, a young community and low costs.
$800–1,400/mo50–200 MbpsTropical: warm, rains November–January
Score breakdown
Cost of living
8.0Cheap
Weight 25%
Internet & work
6.0Patchy internet
Weight 15%
Safety
8.0Safe
Weight 15%
Nomad community
8.0Young community
Weight 15%
Weather
8.0Tropical
Weight 10%
Paperwork & visa
6.0Extensions
Weight 20%
Where to live
General Luna
350–600 $Good for: Everything close, lively
The catch: Pricier and noisier
Catangnan
300–500 $Good for: Quiet near Cloud 9
The catch: Need a scooter
Where to work
Cafés with wifi
- Cafés de Tourism Road3 $
For working with wifi
Time zone: PHT (UTC+8)
What living here is really like
Editorial synthesis of public experiences
What residents say
- Best part:
- Siargao residents describe a simple life, surf and open people. The buts: power cuts, internet dropping in storms and prices rising with tourism.
- Worst part:
- Based on resident forums and communities
Sources: Numbeo — Philippines · Bureau of Immigration
Day to day
- Internet
- Starlink and 50–200 Mbps fibre; occasional power cuts
- Safety
- Safe
- Healthcare
- Basic clinics; serious cases to Cebu
- SIM / eSIM
- Globe or Smart: $8–12/mo
- Best season
- March–October; September for Cloud 9 surf
- Community
- Young and surfy; lots of spontaneous plans
Living here legally
Lisbon vs. similar cities
| City | Zabel score | Monthly budget | In short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Phangan | 8.3 | 900–1.500 $ | More reliable internet |
| Bali (Canggu) | 8.2 | 1.200–2.000 $ | More services, pricier |
Transparency
Last checked: 2026-11-01
Official sources
Prices are checked against the dated sources shown. Editorial experience summaries cite their public sources; verified Zabeler accounts are identified separately. Official procedures always take precedence.