Should an Australian Man Relocate to the Philippines?

A first-hand perspective on expectations, money, and building a life beyond holiday mode

You’ve met a wonderful Filipina woman, and you can imagine spending the rest of your life together. For many couples, the familiar plan is to apply for a partner visa and build a comfortable life in Australia.

But what if you are the one thinking of moving to the Philippines? After more than 16 years living here, I can say it can work.

My own life here has brought few regrets. But our circumstances are different from those of many men who arrive expecting the country to feel like a permanent holiday.

Before you decide, look closely at why you want to move, how you will support yourself, and what ordinary life here will ask of you.

My experience is not a universal forecast

My wife and I made the decision to live in the Philippines after six and a half years together in Australia. A friend, Perry Gamsby, had lived here for several years and warned me that the first year might feel blissful, the next couple less so, and that by years four or five I will probably hate the place and head home like so many do.

I have just passed year 16. I am still here, and I'm happy.

But that does not mean every man should expect the same result. Our situation was different, and that matters a lot.

I am often asked about relocating by Australian men. Years ago, most of the men I saw making the move were retired and relying on a pension or superannuation.

Some stayed, and many returned to Australia after a few years. More recently, I have noticed younger men, including men in their forties, considering the same step.

The question is not whether a move can work. It is whether the life you are picturing is the life you will actually be able to build.

Ask what you are moving towards

A common reason for leaving Australia is dissatisfaction. A man may be tired of work, lonely, frustrated with the cost of life, or convinced that the problems weighing on him will disappear somewhere else.

A change of country can change your surroundings, but it cannot automatically resolve every difficulty you carry with you. If the plan is mainly to escape, it is worth asking what your days will look like once the novelty wears off.

There is also the holiday effect. When you visit, everything can seem quaint, charming, and inexpensive.

You are not working your usual routine. You are probably the centre of attention, surrounded by welcoming people and enjoying time with your partner and her family.

With cash available for beer, hotels, resorts, boat trips, snorkelling, restaurants, and massages, a holiday can feel effortless. You are in holiday mode, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying that.

The mistake is assuming that everyday life will be an endless version of it.

When you live here, the ordinary parts of life take over: work, errands, household decisions, family commitments, and the need to plan for costs that do not make for memorable holiday stories. The question is not whether you enjoyed your visits.

It is whether you can picture a satisfying routine after the holiday feeling fades.

Build a realistic budget

A budget based on online articles or old prices can give a false sense of security. Consider rent, transport, food, household needs, medical care, and the things you take for granted in Australia.

Prices change, so figures from another year may no longer be useful.

My family rented a house in a mid-range estate in Dasmariñas for ₱10,000 a month in 2010. In 2026, I see a similar rent at ₱25,000; diesel had risen from ₱33 to ₱93 a litre. Inflation in 2026 is also nearly 6%!

These are personal examples, not current price quotes. They show why a relocation budget needs up-to-date checking and room for change.

Income matters just as much as expenses. My family and I run a migration agency practice, and we earn in Australian dollars. 

That gives us a different footing from someone relying on a fixed pension or a fixed amount of superannuation. If you have a successful business or another reliable source of income, you may be able to live comfortably here.

If your income is fixed, think very carefully about how it will stretch and what happens if your expenses rise.

Do not underestimate the effects of being short of money

Money is a major issue because being poor is hard anywhere, and some gaps in your budget can have serious consequences. In Australia, you may never have had to wonder whether you can afford your medicine or medical treatment. 

Here, that definitely deserves attention. You will also encounter hospitals that require payment, or at least partial payment, before treatment.

You do not want to discover that your budget works only while nothing goes wrong.

Plan for more than monthly bills. Consider whether you could handle an unexpected medical expense or an interruption to your income, and don't 

Do not assume family will always be able to fill a gap. Be honest about the consequences if your money runs short. And don't forget poor relatives with their hands out to the "rich foreigner"!

Consider what you will miss

You may enjoy pancit, lechon, lumpia, and your mother-in-law’s adobo when you visit. That does not mean you will want to eat only those foods forever.

You will crave familiar Australian foods, and imported products can cost far more here.

In Australia, lamb is around A$25 to A$30 a kilogram in Sydney and A$45 a kilogram in the Philippines. A 380-gram jar of Vegemite was about A$7 in Sydney and A$17 here.

Treat those as the comparisons I observed when I wrote the piece, not current price quotes. The point is that familiar tastes will carry an unfamiliar price.

If particular foods or comforts matter to you, include them in your planning rather than assuming you will simply stop wanting them.

Think about the life you will build

Your social life deserves the same attention as your finances. I have a wife, five children still at home, some friends, and work I enjoy.

I am happy spending time with my family and getting on with my work. That gives my life a centre and a routine.

Someone arriving alone, without work or a plan for the week, may have a very different experience.

Filipinos are wonderful people, but that does not mean a foreigner will automatically feel at home or become part of every social circle. In my experience, people will be shy with you, and fitting in may never really happen.

The Philippines is not a multicultural society in the same way Australia is, so you should not assume that life will feel socially familiar simply because you have visited often or are in a relationship with a Filipina.

I have also met expatriates who seem permanently unhappy: bored, short of money, drinking from the morning, and repeatedly talking about how bad everything is. I have found myself placed in the corner at parties with foreigner men from different countries who have little to do and little spare cash.

I call it the “Misery Circle.” I move away from it because I like living here. If you are content to spend your days complaining how much better everything was before you left, you may find company in that. Not me!

If you still want to be engaged with life, think about the people, interests, and purpose you will bring to your new home. Hint! Find the better-educated Filipinos!

Try ordinary life before making it permanent

A holiday can show you the attractions of a place, but it cannot tell you everything about living there. Before you commit to a permanent move, think about spending a longer stretch here doing ordinary things.

Stay in the kind of neighbourhood you could actually afford. Keep a careful record of what you spend.

Cook and shop as you would in daily life. Think about healthcare, transport, work, family expectations, and how you will spend quiet weekdays.

Notice what you miss and what you enjoy when there is no resort or itinerary to occupy you.

Talk openly with your partner about where you will live, how you will manage money, what support each of you expects from family (or support her family will expect from you!), and what you would do if the arrangement stopped working. Agreeing that you love each other is important, but it does not answer every practical question about a shared life.

The more concrete those conversations are before the move, the less likely you are to mistake a serious concern for a surprise after arrival.

So, should you relocate?

Possibly. I live here, I like it, and after 16 years I have few regrets.

But I also know that my work, income, family, and day-to-day life are not the same as those of every man considering the move. The Philippines is not a cure for dissatisfaction, and a holiday is not a reliable budget or a preview of every ordinary day.

If you can support yourself, accept that some comforts will cost more, and build a life with purpose and connection, the move may suit you. If you are relying on a fixed income, expecting every Australian frustration to disappear, or imagining that each week will feel like a holiday, pause and look more carefully.

Think very carefully before moving. Then decide with your eyes open, knowing both what you are moving towards and what you are leaving behind.

Is your decision driven or encouraged by Partner Visa costs? And processing times?

Get the facts before you do anything! Costs are high, but so is relocation and even more so if you relocate back 2 or 3 years later!

And processing times for decision-ready visa applications are considerably shorter, so don't doubt the value of an experienced professional Migration Agent!

Get a FREE Visa Eligibility Check. And find out about visa options too.