A report by The Economist found that the most expensive housing is not in developed countries, but in developing ones.
Citing a 2025 survey conducted by Gallup, the publication said that 54% of respondents in the Philippines reported experiencing housing-related financial difficulties.
The Philippines was followed by other Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand.
A separate 2025 study by the Urban Land Institute, through its Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index, also showed that home affordability in Metro Manila is among the most expensive in the region.
“Home attainability remains a challenge in Metro Manila, to the extent that many families—even those working in one of the capital’s business districts—opt to buy landed homes on the outskirts of the city and commute,” the ULI said in its report.
It added that apartment costs in Metro Manila can reach about 141% of a household’s monthly income.
In fact, this is not the first time that the Philippines has been included on the list of countries with the most unaffordable housing.
Data from the Urban Land Institute’s 2023 Asia Pacific Home Attainability Index showed that Metro Manila has one of the least affordable housing markets in the region, ranking behind cities in China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
Meanwhile, figures from the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department showed that in 2022, the average monthly income of a Filipino household was ₱15,820.
Under his administration, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has set a target of building six million housing units by 2028 to help make housing more affordable for Filipinos.
