Any information on life in the Philippines

jab1955 Member

1POSTS

13 years ago

Any information on life in the Philippines, cost, housing ,any thing a non expat should know to make up his mine on moving there.聽 thanks

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础耻谤茅濒颈别 ViP

22735POSTS

13 years ago

Hello jab1955.

Welcome to 大咖福利影院!

Maybe you could introduce yourself and give more details of what you are looking for.

Thank you,
础耻谤茅濒颈别

mugtech ViP

4728POSTS

13 years ago

You need to research and make friends and decide where you want to live, which will have a direct affect on housing and prices for other items.聽 I would suggest spending a few months there before you decide, having a Filipina mate would aid your decision.

stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

13 years ago

For cost of living check out

vetretreat Guest

0POSTS

13 years ago

hello jab1955 ...JUST GET ON A PLANE...YOU WILL LIKE THE PI...LIVE IN THE RURAL AREAS..TO LIVE AS CHEAP AS $700 US A MONTH OR LIVE IN MANILA $3,000 MONTH AVERAGE..

sanjayh Active member

49POSTS

13 years ago

philippines has something for everyone really.. all depends entirely on what you're looking for.. on any count - if you go country to land in the wrong location, then you're naturally inclined to have the wrong impression.聽 thus having a better idea of what you're looking for, i'm pretty certain expats like myself can offer you a thorough guide..

things we're looking for are: why philippines? retire? work? explore? what do you plan to do? who do you want to interact with? quiet or bustling? shopping or beaches? low cost, average or high-end? are you american, european or asian? food preferences (well food all over this country is amazing), but still, worth knowing..

just to get the ball rolling:

subic - little american town, great beaches, excellent life, nice clean city, enough to keep you comfy and looking at about 45 to 60k pesos per month for a comfortable stay.

makati - metro, fast, excellent shopping and entertainment, 45 to 60k means a small space but close to everything.聽 but a real melting pot..

davao - 30k to 50k per month, not as well organized as makati and subic but excellent very comfortable and great beaches.

cebu - consider it like another davao, perhaps slightly more expensive, and very touristic.

Baguio - in the mountains, a lovely city, 40 to 50k per month, get very cold during winter months.

boracay - paradise with upscale beach resorts, expect the place to be a little pricey too.

palawan - very quaint, beautiful beaches, not expensive at all.

san fernando, La union - beach parties and surfing, you can probably live in a beach hotel long term, as it's not really expensive.

the list can go on and on and on..

JOE CLOUGH Contributor

107POSTS

12 years ago

hello:
聽聽聽 i have been here a few years...before i taught in thailand...now getting my ssa retirement each month which is enough here ... its direct deposited into BPI bank...i am now 71 yrs old living with a young filipina...we do travel sometimes...thailand, singapore, malaysia and around the PHP...
聽聽if have any questions , please ask
regards
joe clough

Okieboy Serial expat

659POSTS

12 years ago

go on the聽 Blogs聽 and聽 Forums but聽 take聽 most things with a grain of salt, people聽 live聽 here for聽 years and聽 never find聽 out聽 about聽 the Philippines,聽 they are聽 in their聽 subdivisions and聽 only go to Malls and聽 tourist spots, vacation in resorts, and聽 never聽 know聽 the聽 people and聽 places, and聽 spend聽 twice what聽 they should, take聽 your聽 budget聽 and聽 start聽 looking聽 for聽 a聽 place聽 to聽 stay, go on Ayosdito or聽 Sulit and聽 look at聽 house聽 or聽 apartments for聽 rent聽 that聽 will give聽 you an idea of cost, all other聽 is聽 about聽 the聽 same no matter where your聽 at聽 electric,water聽 phone聽 internet

Thatawesomeguy Active member

98POSTS

12 years ago

rentals online聽 tend to be聽 on the expensive side聽聽most聽 locals here聽 just聽 find rentals thru word of mouth聽 or looking around in areas聽 they would like to live.

U have to visit here and try it聽 for u really聽 to decide聽聽i have lived here for almost聽 for 5 years聽聽and have聽 lived almost everywhere聽聽聽聽 Im currently living in cebu聽聽but聽 not for to much longer聽 as city life聽 does聽 tend to get a bit on the rich side聽聽聽聽聽聽 come here聽聽expect to spend a bit for the first few months聽 while u get yourself used to localizing.聽聽聽 Some people聽 as has been said聽 in an above post聽 live here for years聽聽yet never聽 see the phils聽聽聽聽i live on 1400聽聽a month here聽 and we dont save a cent聽聽聽but聽聽 then again聽聽my partner and I are a young聽 couple and we tend to get around a bit

JOE CLOUGH Contributor

107POSTS

12 years ago

#10

we live here in negros and its cheaper than cebu....

dkcape Contributor

153POSTS

12 years ago

#11

The very best that you should do is go and see for your self how it is there.Do not listen to people,saying this place is nice,as you may just not like the place.As i recently went for two months to see if i would want to live there.Spent that time mainly with the locals and went to several islands.And now after visiting the place i would not want to live there.I know that this will not make some happy who read this,however i am just being honest

Thatawesomeguy Active member

98POSTS

12 years ago

#12

why would that not make people happy聽聽it is the truth

one mans trash is another mans treasure after all

some people are city boys聽聽 some are not聽
depends on who u are聽聽how u are聽聽how u deal with the locals聽聽聽Negros is actually聽聽quiet good聽聽 sure there are some people there that don't like a lot of the expats living in the area聽聽 ha聽聽 but聽 u know what聽 there are guys that dont like expats聽 in every part of every country聽聽

With out a question聽聽if u were聽 going to live somewhere聽 u should probably visit and check it out first聽聽聽those that don't聽 obviously aren't to bright聽聽 but then again聽聽 how聽 do u know聽 if u like a place聽 unless spending聽 2聽 to 6 months there聽聽聽
that's why u rent聽 rent rent聽聽and if and when聽 u find聽 what YOU decide is YOUR only little piece of heaven聽 or perfect for YOUR lifestyle u lease or buy.

Locals generalize here and some at times can be quiet racist
( changing my name to Joe)
In all honesty聽 I have lived all over this country and for me聽 negros聽 is聽 fine聽聽 cebu is expensive聽聽that is why my partner and I are moving there聽聽end of this month聽聽聽alas聽聽聽 just looking for a rental for now聽 lol

Okieboy Serial expat

659POSTS

12 years ago

#13

Yes visit by all means,i have聽 been living聽 in the聽 Philippines聽 for聽 a聽 few聽 years but聽 started coming here in 1963, and聽 things聽 change, no simple聽 visa when i came first time聽 the聽 Piso to dollar聽 1 to 1, and聽 places i would聽 love聽 to live聽 are聽 not聽 safe聽 now, i own my own home but聽 i recommend renting at聽 first, no matter聽 what people聽 say when the聽 locals see you are foreigner the聽 rent goes up, also if聽 you are聽 not聽 fluent聽 you might聽 not聽 know the聽 ups聽 and downs聽 of聽 the聽 area you are going to rent聽 in, you will not聽 be聽 harmed by Muslim or聽 NPA it聽 will be聽 a local carnapper or聽 just聽 thief. better unless you are fluent to live聽 in better area, me聽 and聽 my聽 wife have聽 a聽 house聽 we聽 rent聽 out聽 but聽 i would聽 never聽 rent聽 to a foreigner because聽 of some of聽 the聽 people聽 living聽 there, they know聽 me聽 and聽 i have聽 no trouble, and聽 my family are in the聽 local Government and聽 police

1 member reacted to this post

versan Serial expat

209POSTS

12 years ago

#14

sanjayh wrote:
philippines has something for everyone really.. all depends entirely on what you're looking for.. on any count - if you go country to land in the wrong location, then you're naturally inclined to have the wrong impression.聽 thus having a better idea of what you're looking for, i'm pretty certain expats like myself can offer you a thorough guide..

things we're looking for are: why philippines? retire? work? explore? what do you plan to do? who do you want to interact with? quiet or bustling? shopping or beaches? low cost, average or high-end? are you american, european or asian? food preferences (well food all over this country is amazing), but still, worth knowing..

just to get the ball rolling:

subic - little american town, great beaches, excellent life, nice clean city, enough to keep you comfy and looking at about 45 to 60k pesos per month for a comfortable stay.

makati - metro, fast, excellent shopping and entertainment, 45 to 60k means a small space but close to everything.聽 but a real melting pot..

davao - 30k to 50k per month, not as well organized as makati and subic but excellent very comfortable and great beaches.

cebu - consider it like another davao, perhaps slightly more expensive, and very touristic.

Baguio - in the mountains, a lovely city, 40 to 50k per month, get very cold during winter months.

boracay - paradise with upscale beach resorts, expect the place to be a little pricey too.

palawan - very quaint, beautiful beaches, not expensive at all.

san fernando, La union - beach parties and surfing, you can probably live in a beach hotel long term, as it's not really expensive.

the list can go on and on and on..

Nice going Sanjayh.... your quite a traveller around the islands. Thumb Ups!!

robberg Member

13POSTS

11 years ago

#15

Hi Jo

I am interested in finding out what you think are the positives and negatives of living in Thailand compared to the Phils. I understand language might be one positive aspect of living in the Phils. However, other things like traffic, crime, personal safety, cost of rent, quality of food, girls, bars, noise levels, roads quality, general acceptance of foreigners in one country compared to another or any other comment you care to make would be useful to me.

Cheers
Rob

mugtech ViP

4728POSTS

11 years ago

#16

Last posting on this thread was 17 months ago

Cynthiavilla Serial expat

291POSTS

11 years ago

#17

As any other country, there are places that are safe and places that you need to put extra care; as to cost of living, it depends on the standard of the individual;