GeoRealityMatch
Tokyo cityscape featuring modern buildings and a bridge over a canal under a clear blue sky.Japan
The iconic Manila Post Office building reflecting on the Pasig River under a bright blue sky.Philippines

Compare countries · Japan vs Philippines

Japan vs Philippines

JapanEastern AsiaPhilippinesSouth-Eastern Asia

The FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the Philippines and all but essential travel to other areas.The Philippines is cheaper (cost of living 30.1 vs 47.5).Japan is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.489 vs 2.092), scores higher on human development (0.925 vs 0.720) and has the higher income per person ($38,340 vs $4,850).It also has the longer life expectancy (84.0 vs 69.9 years).

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Safety

Japan is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
Japan1.489Very high safety#10 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Philippines2.092Medium safety#101 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
Japan0.2Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Philippines4.3HighUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
Japan77.2Very highNumbeo · 2026
Philippines56.5ModerateNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
JapanNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
PhilippinesAgainst all travel to parts, all but essential to other areasFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-29
Money

Income per person is higher in Japan

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
Japan$38,340Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Philippines$4,850LowWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
Japan47.5AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Philippines30.1Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
Japan14.7ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Philippines7.8Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
Japan11.4ModerateNumbeo · 2026
Philippines32.1Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Japan

Life expectancyyears, at birth
Japan84.0Very high#9 of 195World Bank · 2024
Philippines69.9Low#133 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
Japan86Very highWHO · 2023
Philippines69LowWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
Japan8.5Very lowWHO · 2023
Philippines16.7ModerateWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Japan

Home internetmedian download speed
Japan256 MbpsVery fast#17 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Philippines107 MbpsVery fast#60 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
Japan446Very lowEF EPI · 2025
Philippines569HighEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Japan 0.925, Philippines 0.720

JapanPhilippines

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:JapanPhilippines

Practical facts

Capital
Tokyo
Manila
Population
123.4M (2025)
116.8M (2025)
Languages
Japanese
English, Filipino
Currency
Japanese yen (JPY)
Philippine peso (PHP)
Area
364,569 km²
298,170 km²
Plug type
Type A/B
Type A/B/C
Drives on the
left
right
Short visit
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

Japan and Philippines, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is Japan cheaper than Philippines?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts Japan at 47.5 and Philippines at 30.1. Philippines is about 37% cheaper overall.

Is Japan or Philippines safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), Japan scores 1.49 and Philippines scores 2.09. Japan ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, Japan or Philippines?

On the UN Human Development Index, Japan scores 0.925 and Philippines scores 0.720. Japan scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in Japan compared to Philippines?

GNI per capita runs $38,340 in Japan against $4,850 in Philippines; people live 84.0 years on average against 69.9; Numbeo users rate healthcare 80 against 67. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by Markus Winkler, Clarence Gaspar on Pexels