On balance, the Philippines is relatively safe for foreigners. The overall “Safety Index” for the Philippines is ~58/100. That’s actually higher than the U.K., the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and France.
That said, there are still safety issues in the Philippines—including some scary ones like terrorism, kidnapping, and deadly natural disasters. And not all cities are equally safe when you look at all factors combined.
Today, I’ll outline 3 big safety concerns for foreigners in the Philippines. Then I’ll share a list of 6 safe cities that are popular with expats. Finally, I’ll address 3 popular cities that are arguably less safe.
3 Big Safety Concerns in the Philippines
Before we get into the list of specific cities, let’s look at a few of the most pressing safety issues in the Philippines. Then, you’ll know what to look out for in general.
1. Pickpockets and Thieves
Petty theft is a common issue in cities across the world. It’s not just specific to the Philippines. That said, some of the big cities in the Philippines, like Manila and Cebu, are known to have quite a bit of theft.
When I visited Cebu, I was warned by locals multiple times to beware of pickpockets, especially when riding public transportation (like the jeepneys).
I was also approached many times by persistent beggars in Cebu City. They would basically not take “no” for an answer. So, it may not be a safety concern, but it’s at least a related annoyance you may experience in most cities in the Philippines.
2. Typhoons
If you’re not aware, typhoons are the same exact thing as hurricanes. The name just depends on which ocean it happens in. Yes, that’s confusing. But some parts of the Philippines do have a high exposure to typhoons.
In fact, Time magazine has noted that the Philippines is the most storm-exposed country in the world. Every year, about ten typhoons make landfall in the Philippines, with five having the potential to be destructive. (source)
Typhoons bring risks of property damage and loss of electricity, internet, water supply, and other amenities due to wind damage. There are also flooding risks in some places, and other possible related effects.
Typhoons generally approach from the east, getting weaker as they move west and/or north across the Philippines. Accordingly, the worst impacts are often felt in the Eastern Visaysa, Bicol, and northern Luzon.
Leyte and Samar are especially well-known for having a high risk of typhoon damage. Tacloban City in Leyte was “90% destroyed” in 2013’s Super Typhoon Haiyan. Over 6,000 died and over 1,800 went missing from the storm.
Climate change is even expected to worsen the impact of typhoons and tropical storms on the Philippines in the coming decades. (source)
Interestingly, the southern island of Mindanao tends to be safer from typhoons. That said, Mindanao has had exposure to another kind of safety issue in recent decades—terrorism. So let’s cover that next.
3. Terrorism and Kidnapping
Probably the most sensational safety risk in the Philippines is terrorism and kidnapping. But these problems are mostly isolated to specific areas in the Philippines.
The U.S. Travel Advisory to the Philippines has a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” warning for two areas in the Philippines:
- The Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea. These areas are off the southwestern side of Mindanao, in the southern Philippines. They have pirates and terrorist groups that make money by kidnapping and holding victims for ransom.
- Marawi City in Mindanao. This city was the site of an actual 5-month military conflict between terrorist separatist groups and the Philippines military in 2017 (Siege of Marawi).
But aside from those severe warnings, the U.S. government also has a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” warning for all of Mindanao, one of the large southern islands in the Philippines.
In particular, the travel advisory cautions about travel to the area around Cotabato City, and in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.
The travel advisory states, “Terrorist and armed groups continue to conduct kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks targeting U.S. citizens, foreigners, civilians, local government institutions, and security forces.”
So, should you avoid Mindanao entirely? Well, Mindanao is large, and its biggest city, Davao, is often rated as one of the safest cities in the Philippines. So, most people would argue that, no, you don’t need to avoid Mindanao entirely.
We’ll discuss this issue a bit more when we cover Davao and General Santos City below. Anyway, let’s proceed to the list of cities already.
Disclaimer: The following list excludes some destinations like Siargao and Boracay, which are popular but lacking in safety data besides personal anecdotes.
1. Dumaguete
Dumaguete is a relatively small city of just ~134,000 population, but it’s a very popular destination for retired expats.
In fact, several of the popular expat YouTubers in the Philippines like Paul Old Dog New Tricks, Gio in the Philippines, and Paul’s Asian Adventure have all had stints living in Dumaguete.
Dumaguete is actually nicknamed the “City of Gentle People.” It’s on Negros Oriental, which is considered safe in general. According to locals, there are no areas you really need to avoid on the whole island.
The Safety Index rating for Dumaguete is ~65/100. For context, that’s 41% safer than London and 91% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Dumaguete is 14% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 35% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 76% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look great for Dumaguete:
- Level of Crime: 37/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 24/100 (Low)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 87/100 (Very High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 67/100 (High)
For safety tips about living in Dumaguete, you can also check out this blog post.
2. Baguio
The Safety Index rating for Baguio is ~64/100. For context, that’s 39% safer than London and 88% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Baguio is 16% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 33% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 73% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
Baguio is interesting for expats partly because of the cooler mountain climate. Unlike most of SE Asia with tropical heat and humidity year-round, Baguio usually has daily highs of 71° to 75° F (22° to 24° C).
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look pretty good for Baguio:
- Level of Crime: 32/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 44/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 86/100 (Very High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 59/100 (Moderate)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
3. Makati
The Safety Index rating for Makati is ~61/100. For context, that’s 33% safer than London and 79% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Makati is 20% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 27% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 65% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
Along with Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, Makati is one of the most popular spots for expats in Metro Manila. As we’ll cover below, the safety is generally much better in these nice areas compared to the rest of Metro Manila.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look decent for Makati:
- Level of Crime: 40/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 50/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 78/100 (High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 61/100 (High)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Great
I was unable to pull specific safety data for BGC, but I would also recommend it as a part of Metro Manila where I personally felt very safe. It’s a remarkably clean, modern area, with security everywhere.
See my pros and cons of living in BGC for more about that.
4. Davao
The Safety Index rating for Davao is ~72/100. For context, that’s 57% safer than London and 112% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Davao is 5% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 50% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 95% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
In fact, Davao has the best safety Index score of anywhere I checked in the Philippines. That said, I still moved it down the list a couple spots because of its location in Mindanao.
As covered above, Mindanao has had issues with Islamic terrorism in the last couple decades. Davao has not been a primary site of terrorist activity, but there was a Davao bombing that killed 14 peoplein 2016. So, kinda scary.
That said, let’s draw a comparison: Would you avoid Boston just because of the marathon bombing there in 2013? Or would you avoid New York City because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks? Such incidents are isolated and rare.
If you use common sense and do some basic research on the places to avoid in Mindanao, you should generally be fine living in Davao or visiting for any length of time.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look outstanding for Davao:
- Level of Crime: 27/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 31/100 (Low)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 82/100 (Very High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 75/100 (High)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Great
When it comes to typhoons, Davao is not at high risk, since Mindanao is typically not hit badly by typhoons. So, that’s good, as well.
5. La Union
La Union is a province in Luzon, the same big island as Manila. This area is known for surfing, beaches, and beautiful nature. It has a few towns that are popular with expats and digital nomads, including San Juan and San Fernando.
The Safety Index rating for San Fernando, La Union, is ~61/100. For context, that’s 33% safer than London and 79% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Fernando, La Union, is 20% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 27% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 65% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look decent for San Fernando, La Union:
- Level of Crime: 33/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 42/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 83/100 (Very High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 61/100 (High)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
As far as typhoon risk goes, La Union is on the western side of Luzon, so it’s not as exposed as the northeastern part of the island. So, that’s a plus.
6. Cebu
The Safety Index rating for Cebu is ~48/100. For context, that’s 4% safer than London and 41% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Cebu is 37% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still equally safe as Ho Chi Minh City, and 30% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
I have personally spent a couple of months living in Cebu City. I took the picture of the IT Park neighborhood above with the moon in the sky. I would generally recommend IT Park or Cebu Business Park as the nice areas to stay.
Overall, I mostly felt safe in Cebu City. That said, I was warned by locals multiple times to beware of pickpockets and walking alone at night in certain areas.
In late 2021, Cebu City was hit by Super Typhoon Rai. The electricity, water, and other basic amenities were messed up for a while after that. It wouldn’t have been the best place to be living at the time.
That said, Cebu was not the hardest hit by Super Typhoon Rai—and Cebu generally does not have as much severe typhoon risk as Leyte or Samar (which are to the east of Cebu).
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings are moderate for Cebu:
- Level of Crime: 54/100 (Moderate)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 54/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 66/100 (High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 43/100 (Moderate)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Good
Three More Popular Expat Spots
Before we finish, let’s discuss a few other destinations that are popular with foreigners but a bit more borderline or controversial when it comes to safety.
1. Is Manila Safe?
As mentioned above, the nicest parts of Metro Manila are pretty safe, but what about the city of Manila itself? Well, its ratings are a bit worse.
The Safety Index rating for Manila is ~35/100. For context, that’s 24% less safe than London, although it’s still 3% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Manila is 54% less safe than Chiang Mai, 27% less safe than Ho Chi Minh City, and 5% less safe than Kuala Lumpur.
Honestly, the Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look pretty bad for Manila:
- Level of Crime: 73/100 (High)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 68/100 (High)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 54/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during night: 30/100 (Low)
The Nomad List Scores are decent, though:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Okay
But Metro Manila is big, and some areas a lot safer than others. Here are the Safety Index ratings for various cities in Metro Manila, from worst to best:
- Pasay: 36/100
- Quezon City: 37/100
- Mandaluyong: 45/100
- Taguig City: 46/100
- Paranaque City: 52/100
- Pasig: 54/100
- Makati: 61/100
- Valenzuela: 73/100
2. Is Palawan Safe?
Palawan is an island with multiple popular spots for expats. While El Nido is a famous tourist destination, Puerto Princesa is the main city. So we’ll cover the stats on both of those.
The Safety Index rating for Puerto Princesa, Palawan, is ~62/100. El Nido’s rating is just slightly lower at ~59/100. For context, Puerto Princesa is rated to be 35% safer than London and 82% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: Puerto Princesa is rated as 22% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 29% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 68% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
Although Palawan is a famous tourist destination and generally considered safe, there have been incidents and threats of kidnapping, likely due to its proximity to the terrorist groups in the Sulu sea and southern Philippines.
Therefore, I would personally not rank it in the top 5 safest places in the Philippines for foreigners. But realistically, it’s been a safe destination for the vast, vast majority of people who go there.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings look good for Puerto Princesa:
- Level of Crime: 38/100 (Low)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 40/100 (Low)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 81/100 (Very High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 63/100 (High)
We can also look at the Numbeo Crime and Safety ratings for El Nido in Palawan. They are a bit worse, but not horrible:
- Level of Crime: 42/100 (Moderate)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 44/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 56/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during night: 47/100 (Moderate)
And the Nomad List Scores for Palawan are pretty good:
- Safety: Okay
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Great
Finally, let’s cover one last city…
3. Is General Santos City Safe?
General Santos is another city on Mindanao, which has been somewhat close in proximity to Islamic terrorism in recent decades. Although General Santos City is generally considered safe, its safety ratings are not as high as Davao’s.
Therefore, given the level 3 U.S. Travel Advisory against Mindanao, I would exclude General Santos from the list of top safe expat destinations, even though it will be totally fine for most people who go there, of course.
The Safety Index rating for General Santos is ~49/100. For context, that’s 7% safer than London and 44% safer than Chicago.
Compared to other cities in SE Asia: General Santos is rated as 35% less safe than Chiang Mai, but still 2% safer than Ho Chi Minh City, and 32% safer than Kuala Lumpur.
The Numbeo Crime and Safety Ratings for General Santos are kinda moderate:
- Level of Crime: 48/100 (Moderate)
- Worries about being mugged or robbed: 57/100 (Moderate)
- Safety walking alone during daylight: 65/100 (High)
- Safety walking alone during night: 50/100 (Moderate)
And the Nomad List Scores are pretty good, too:
- Safety: Good
- Food Safety: Good
- Lack of Crime: Okay
- Peace (No Political Conflict): Bad
- Traffic Safety: Okay
- Friendly to Foreigners: Good
So, Is It Safe for Foreigners to Live in the Philippines?
Overall, the Philippines has a mix of safety risks to balance. Ideally, you’ll settle in a place without huge risk of typhoon damage, terrorist threats, or a high level of petty theft and pickpockets.
The above list of cities provides 6 destinations that are popular with expats and quite safe on balance. Hopefully you’ve found it helpful as a jumping off point in exploring the Philippines further!