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City in Philippines

Metro Manila

Metro Manila is the capital region, with 14,001,751 people at the 2024 census. Makati is home to the head office of the Philippine Retirement Authority, and International School Manila stands in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. The authority counts about 12,500 holders of its retiree visa in the region. [N1] [P1] [P2] [Metro Manila S1]

Country
Philippines
Region
National Capital Region
Population
14,001,751 in 2024. Metro Manila (National Capital Region), 2024 Census of Population, 1 July 2024. It counts the whole region (the Manila metropolitan area including Makati and Taguig, where Bonifacio Global City is), not a single city.. [N1]
Settings
In a city [N1] [G1]
Weather
Warm all year [W1]

Why it is here

Why Metro Manila is on the list.

A city is listed when there is evidence that people move there. This is the evidence.

  • Metro Manila had 14,001,751 people at the 2024 census, and the CIA World Factbook lists Manila first among the Philippines' urban areas (14.667 million in 2023, against 1.949 million for the next, Davao). [N1] [G1]
  • The Philippine Retirement Authority counts about 12,500 holders of its retiree visa in the National Capital Region, the most of any region (Makati about 1,100 and Taguig about 900; approximate numbers, no as-of date). [P1]
  • International School Manila in Bonifacio Global City (Taguig) has 2,465 students from 91 countries and offers the IB Diploma. [Metro Manila S1]
  • The Philippine Retirement Authority, which runs the retiree visa, has its head office in Makati. [P2]

The Fernshore Index

How it grades, factor by factor.

Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.

The country

More on Philippines.

Cities

Other cities in Philippines.

Questions about Metro Manila.

How big is Metro Manila?

Metro Manila had 14,001,751 people at the 2024 census, counting the whole National Capital Region, including Makati and Taguig (where Bonifacio Global City is), not a single city. The CIA World Factbook lists Manila as the largest urban area, at 14.667 million in 2023.

Philippines: Administrative Division (Regions and Provinces), Philippine Statistics Authority (2024 Census of Population, reference date 1 July 2024), as compiled by City Population (citypopulation.de, a private site); psa.gov.ph refused automated access (HTTP 403); The World Factbook: Philippines (People and Society), Central Intelligence Agency (text read from the factbook.json mirror on GitHub; cia.gov refused automated access). Checked 16 October 2026

Read the long answer

What does a one-bedroom condo cost to rent in Metro Manila?

On 16 October 2026 one portal's first page of 25 one-bedroom condo listings asked PHP 18,000 to 120,000 a month, and its Makati page asked PHP 15,000 to 85,000. These are asking prices from one site, not a city average, and bills were not checked.

Metro Manila condos for rent, 1 bedroom (listing index seen 16 October 2026), Dot Property (property portal, private, not official); Makati condos for rent, 1 bedroom (listing index seen 16 October 2026), Dot Property (property portal, private, not official). Checked 16 October 2026

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Where is the retiree visa office, and how many retirees are there?

The Philippine Retirement Authority, which runs the SRRV retiree visa, has its head office on Paseo de Roxas in Makati City. It counts about 12,500 SRRV holders in the National Capital Region, the most of any region (approximate, with no as-of date).

Contact Us (head office and satellite offices), Philippine Retirement Authority; Geographic Concentration of SRRV Holders in the Philippines (public data feed behind the page), Philippine Retirement Authority. Checked 16 October 2026

Read the long answer

Is there an international school in Metro Manila?

International School Manila, in Bonifacio Global City (Taguig), is a non-profit day school from preschool to Grade 12 with 2,465 students from 91 countries, and offers the IB Diploma, per its own site. Fees, places and other schools are unknown here.

International School Manila, International School Manila. Checked 16 October 2026

Read the long answer

How hot and wet is Manila, and does it flood?

At Manila's Port Area station highs run from 29.9 °C in January to 33.7 °C in April; rain is 19.4 mm in January but 492.5 mm in August. Canada says flooding and mudslides are frequent after heavy rain, even in Metro Manila.

Climate normals 1991–2020, Port Area Manila (WMO 98425), PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI; Philippines travel advice and advisories, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 16 October 2026

Read the long answer

Sources

Where each figure comes from.

Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.

  1. [N1] Philippines: Administrative Division (Regions and Provinces), Philippine Statistics Authority (2024 Census of Population, reference date 1 July 2024), as compiled by City Population (citypopulation.de, a private site); psa.gov.ph refused automated access (HTTP 403). Checked 16 October 2026. Metro Manila (National Capital Region) 14,001,751 people on 1 July 2024 (13,484,462 in 2020). The region covers Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Taguig and the other local governments of Metro Manila. Coordinates 14.58 N, 121.00 E are from the Wikipedia article on Metro Manila.
  2. [P1] Geographic Concentration of SRRV Holders in the Philippines (public data feed behind the page), Philippine Retirement Authority. Checked 16 October 2026. Read 16 October 2026 from the data the page loads (pra.gov.ph/cms/whereabouts/public). Approximate numbers of Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) holders by region, rounded, with no as-of date given: National Capital Region 12,500; CALABARZON 7,200; Central Luzon 5,400; Central Visayas 4,200; Western Visayas 3,500; Davao Region 3,100; Northern Mindanao 2,800; Bicol 2,600; Ilocos 2,300; MIMAROPA 2,100; Eastern Visayas 1,900; Cagayan Valley 1,800; SOCCSKSARGEN 1,700; Zamboanga Peninsula 1,500; Caraga 1,300; Cordillera 1,200; Bangsamoro 100; "Others" 15,700 (the regions and "Others" add to 70,900). In the National Capital Region: Quezon City 2,200, Manila 1,500, Makati 1,100, Pasig 950, Taguig 900, Parañaque 850. Counts are for regions and Metro Manila cities only; no other city is listed.
  3. [P2] Contact Us (head office and satellite offices), Philippine Retirement Authority. Checked 16 October 2026. Head office: 29/F BDO Towers Valero, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. Satellite offices: North Luzon, Unit 8, Nevada Square Bldg. 3, 2 Loakan Road, Baguio; Central Luzon, Savers Mall Bldg., Best Western Plus Metro Clark Hotel, McArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga; Visayas, 2QUAD Bldg., Cebu Business Park, Cardinal Rosales Ave, Cebu City; Mindanao, Plaza de Luisa Building, Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, Davao City. The page lists no office in Dumaguete or Siargao.
  4. [Metro Manila S1] International School Manila, International School Manila. Checked 16 October 2026. School's own site, read 16 October 2026: a non-profit day school from preschool to Grade 12 with 2,465 students and 91 countries represented; established 1920; offers the IB Diploma; address University Parkway, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
  5. [G1] The World Factbook: Philippines (People and Society), Central Intelligence Agency (text read from the factbook.json mirror on GitHub; cia.gov refused automated access). Checked 16 October 2026. Major urban areas (2023): Manila 14.667 million, Davao 1.949 million, Cebu City 1.025 million, Zamboanga 931,000, Antipolo 960,000, Cagayan de Oro 803,000, Dasmarinas 803,000. The mirror's text was not checked against cia.gov.
  6. [W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Port Area Manila (WMO 98425), PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI. Checked 16 October 2026. Manila (Port Area), the main city for the Philippines' climate grade. Mean daily highs (°C): January 29.9, February 30.7, March 32.1, April 33.7, May 33.6, June 32.8, July 31.5, August 31.0, September 31.2, October 31.4, November 31.3, December 30.3. Rainfall (mm): 19.4, 21.9, 21.8, 23.4, 159.1, 253.3, 432.3, 492.5, 396.4, 220.6, 119.9, 98.5. Comfortable (18 to 30 °C and under 150 mm): January (1 month). Station at 14°35′N, 120°58′E, 15 m. Science Garden, Quezon City (WMO 98430) gives 0 comfortable months; Port Area gives 1.
  7. [C1] Price level index (GDP), Philippines, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 33.16 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
  8. [Philippines S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. The Philippines ranks 102nd of 163 countries.
  9. [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. The Philippines: 69 out of 100 (2023).
  10. [K1] Executive Order No. 86: Authorizing the issuance of Digital Nomad Visa, Office of the President of the Philippines (text hosted by The Lawphil Project, Arellano Law Foundation; the Official Gazette refused automated access). Checked 16 October 2026. Signed 24 April 2025. Lets the Department of Foreign Affairs issue Digital Nomad Visas for up to one year, renewable, to people aged 18 or over who show proof of remote work, "sufficient income" earned outside the Philippines (no amount), no criminal record and health insurance, from countries that offer such visas to Filipinos. Section 7 gave the Department 30 days to issue implementing guidelines.
  11. [K3] Welcome to the Philippine Visa Online Portal (PH Visa Policy), Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of Consular Affairs (eVisaPH). Checked 16 October 2026. Lists the types of Philippine visa: 9(a) temporary visitor visas (a-1 to a-8) and visa-free entry for 30 days for nationals of listed countries, which include the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The page names no Digital Nomad Visa.
  12. [K4] Philippines Digital Nomad Visa 2026: Status & Reality, LiveInPH (private relocation guide, not official). Checked 16 October 2026. Says that on 15 October 2026 the Digital Nomad Visa was "created in law, not operational": the implementing guidelines were not published, no fee or country list had been set, and the visa was not among the options on the Department of Foreign Affairs e-visa portal. We confirmed the portal part on the portal itself (K3); the rest rests on this guide.
  13. [K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Philippines, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 7.14 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
  14. [R1] Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), Philippine Retirement Authority. Checked 16 October 2026. Page read 16 October 2026. SRRV Classic: principal applicants aged 40 and over; visa deposit USD 15,000 (pensioner, 50 and over), USD 30,000 (non-pensioner, 50 and over), USD 25,000 (pensioner, 40 to 49) or USD 50,000 (non-pensioner, 40 to 49); a lifetime pension of at least USD 800 a month (USD 1,000 with dependents) for pensioners; PRA processing fee USD 1,500; annual fee USD 360. Benefits listed include "permanent residency in the Philippines" and "multiple entry and indefinite stay", and exemption from separate work or student permits. The page lists no maximum age.
  15. [F1] EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Philippines, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 16 October 2026. Score 569, rank 28 of 123 countries and regions (read on the page on 16 October 2026; the page does not print a proficiency-band word); the 2026 edition was not yet published on 15 October 2026.

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