Where do expats live in philippines?
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Some nationalities may favour one place, others may favour another.
Some expats love to live near other expats, others prefer to live near locals, and away from expats.聽 Some like the Cities, some prefer the provinces.
Clark in Pampanga is popular for many Americans and Australians etc, with the availability of food etc from back home. Sausage Rolls, Apple Pies, Meat Pies etc.聽 Even SM Clark has a good range of western food. etc..
31.12% of foreigners lived in National Capital Region - Metro Manila.
22.32% lived in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi)
The largest number of foreign nationals in the Philippines was shown in the NSO figures as:
16.90% United States of America with 29,972
16.18% China with 28,705
6.53% Japan with 11,584
5.08% India with 9,007
The percentage is of the total foreigners.
The airport is supposed to be international but very difficult to find international flights without a stop and usually a layover in Manila or Cebu. There are direct flights however from Singapore. One of the retirement sites I was reading named Dumagette City as the number one expat retirement location in the Phils. Many people seem to like it there very much.
Alexw08 wrote:Hello, Not sure how much this will help but a little more info anyway. I stayed on the outskirts of Davao City last year.; Actually Davao City is very safe for ex-pats due to the mayor. It was nice being near Samal Island and the resorts there. The amount of security can be a little unnerving at times. You must pass through security entering all the malls. Maybe it would make some people feel safer that they are doing it but had the opposite effect on me. Also when I went to a a large parade downtown all went fine but looking up on the rooftops there were snipers and spotters scanning the crowd.
The airport is supposed to be international but very difficult to find international flights without a stop and usually a layover in Manila or Cebu. There are direct flights however from Singapore. One of the retirement sites I was reading named Dumagette City as the number one expat retirement location in the Phils. Many people seem to like it there very much.
there are even international airports that dont have any international flights聽 ,flights between cebu and davao are very cheap聽 with airasia and cebu pacific聽 if booked few weeks /months in advance聽 .
After my experiences with Cebu Pacific I would rather pay the extra money and fly Philippine Airlines.it is a shame that they do not offer more direct international flights from Davao and even though I felt relatively safe I don't want to live in a city where they feel the need to have snipers on the roofs every time they have some king of public celebration.I understand many people are happy to live there but I gave it a try for 6 months and just was not what I was looking for.,
greenetravel wrote:22.32% lived in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi)聽 聽and they are still alive?
I did wonder about the figure for that area too, but then I guessed that the region may be popular for Muslim foreigners to settle.
Alexw08 wrote:Ok thanks I will probably give both a look, I am wondering ifI am looking in Cebu City which area for safe somewhat affordable housing. I can do 6 month lease but reluctant to do more. It has been many years since I was there except stuck at the airport thanks to Cebu Pacific. It seems I remember a nice area in the hills above the city not sure what it was called and also Lapu Lapu City I am curious about. I would have around 600 to 650 to spend for a 2 bedroom apartment or condo. Any area recommendations with that budget in mind. Also I see quite a long rainy season in the area with more than 100 inches of rain in June (that was for Negros but would assume they are similar due to close proximity) Maybe it is like some places I have been where you know it will probably rain but will stop at some point in the day?
When looking at places, also take account of exact location and transport options to shops etc., unless you have your own transport, bike car etc.
At my last place I was within walking distance of everything, but now, at a new place, it looks like I am going to be spending about 2,000 pesos a month on various travel costs.聽 I am glad I am paying 7,000 pesos less in rent 
i stayed in Lapu Lapu in 2013, found a decent condo for 20k per month, furnished, month to month, but it was a promo.聽 Worth looking at various advertising places to see if they are still doing them.聽 I just saw an advert again, for 22,700 pm
Thank you to lower the caps while writing on the thread聽
Although I'm sure you were not shouting at anyone聽
Thank you,
Marjorie

Alexw08 wrote:Yes there are cheap flights to Cebu and to Manila from Davao City if you do not travel so much maybe not a big issue. I do not want to have a stopover each time I want to leave the country.聽 I am not sure about Air Asia but Cebu Pacific has a horrible record of delayed and canceled flights; I used them once going to Boracay from Davao City the connecting flight from Cebu was cancelled causing a 4 hour delay then on the return leg the trip to Cebu was cancelled and had to take the 3 hour ride in a cramped van for the flight to Cebu. If you were flying out of Manila to another country and you booked the flight to Manila on Cebu Pacific and it got cancelled making you miss the flight then you have no recourse;.
After my experiences with Cebu Pacific I would rather pay the extra money and fly Philippine Airlines.it is a shame that they do not offer more direct international flights from Davao and even though I felt relatively safe I don't want to live in a city where they feel the need to have snipers on the roofs every time they have some king of public celebration.I understand many people are happy to live there but I gave it a try for 6 months and just was not what I was looking for.,
most likely there are snipers in your own country too during big events聽 but maybe you arent looking for them as much as in davao聽 ?聽 聽wouldnt it be a good idea to check out what your flight options are before going to live there?聽 even cebu doesnt have that many international flights compared to manila聽 ,even if u booked a flight with phil airline and that was delayed or cancelled聽 聽 聽-then have no recourse either if flight is with another airline聽 聽.
jasonkennedy wrote:I think the percentages have changed with respect to where expats in the Philippines come from.
But what have they changed to ?
Peter
Has everything that I need, and I always feel safe here, although I dont
hit the night life....... not a teenager anymore. lol.
Only my opinion, but I am sure other places that I have not been to
would also be just as good...MAYBE.
Good luck.
Regards, Norman Allard
samangelevski wrote:I live in Pampanga, where do you find this shops I am Australian
If you are still living in Concepcion there is that brand new Waltermart and several new stores further in town. RCS is right next to the public market and KFC is just about done being built. Then there is the Angeles jeepney that takes ya just outside of SM mall at clark. If you're looking for food items from OZ, there are the duty free shops on Clark and also Johnny's Supermarket in Mc Arthur Hwy in Angeles. Pretty good choices I'd say聽 
samangelevski wrote:I see you know lot about Concepcion, you right about all left out we have Poorgold here too, but have you seen them, 4 supermarkets and they so close to each other, i have been to all and yet buy not much from there, the quality is not to international standards, so most my meat shopping is done at S&R and not there is new one as from October S&R at Dau, I am not sure but what I see is nothing fresh in Supermarkets, not sure where you combing from, but if you are local need to check out close by Countries, it is shame this is Asian country but if you try to compere it, they are like light years apart.
We spend much time in and around Concepcion as my wife is from and still has a family farm in Castillo. The only problems I've noticed most stores there and most places is the lack of enough parking. Puregold is pretty good, especially the one in Clark. Expensive but good. We actually live just a short distance outside of Magalang town and not too from from the Angeles Flying Club.
I moved here from the States quite a few years ago but certainly not to find everything on an international standard. To do that one would likely have to live in Makati or a like area in Manila.
I'm told that S&R is pretty good but have yet to join and use them. Where we are I have found the local public market good and what they don't carry we get at either Purgold or Hypermart in either Dau or in SM. Living in a 3rd world country can be pretty rough but can also be what you make of it. Lots of good here as well as some drawbacks. Not enough though to ever cause me to leave
Navajo52 wrote:samangelevski wrote:I see you know lot about Concepcion, you right about all left out we have Poorgold here too, but have you seen them, 4 supermarkets and they so close to each other, i have been to all and yet buy not much from there, the quality is not to international standards, so most my meat shopping is done at S&R and not there is new one as from October S&R at Dau, I am not sure but what I see is nothing fresh in Supermarkets, not sure where you combing from, but if you are local need to check out close by Countries, it is shame this is Asian country but if you try to compere it, they are like light years apart.
We spend much time in and around Concepcion as my wife is from and still has a family farm in Castillo. The only problems I've noticed most stores there and most places is the lack of enough parking. Puregold is pretty good, especially the one in Clark. Expensive but good. We actually live just a short distance outside of Magalang town and not too from from the Angeles Flying Club.
I moved here from the States quite a few years ago but certainly not to find everything on an international standard. To do that one would likely have to live in Makati or a like area in Manila.
I'm told that S&R is pretty good but have yet to join and use them. Where we are I have found the local public market good and what they don't carry we get at either Purgold or Hypermart in either Dau or in SM. Living in a 3rd world country can be pretty rough but can also be what you make of it. Lots of good here as well as some drawbacks. Not enough though to ever cause me to leave
Just wondering what S&R is?
Thanks in advance.
pej1111 wrote:Navajo52 wrote:samangelevski wrote:I see you know lot about Concepcion, you right about all left out we have Poorgold here too, but have you seen them, 4 supermarkets and they so close to each other, i have been to all and yet buy not much from there, the quality is not to international standards, so most my meat shopping is done at S&R and not there is new one as from October S&R at Dau, I am not sure but what I see is nothing fresh in Supermarkets, not sure where you combing from, but if you are local need to check out close by Countries, it is shame this is Asian country but if you try to compere it, they are like light years apart.
We spend much time in and around Concepcion as my wife is from and still has a family farm in Castillo. The only problems I've noticed most stores there and most places is the lack of enough parking. Puregold is pretty good, especially the one in Clark. Expensive but good. We actually live just a short distance outside of Magalang town and not too from from the Angeles Flying Club.
I moved here from the States quite a few years ago but certainly not to find everything on an international standard. To do that one would likely have to live in Makati or a like area in Manila.
I'm told that S&R is pretty good but have yet to join and use them. Where we are I have found the local public market good and what they don't carry we get at either Purgold or Hypermart in either Dau or in SM. Living in a 3rd world country can be pretty rough but can also be what you make of it. Lots of good here as well as some drawbacks. Not enough though to ever cause me to leave
Just wondering what S&R is?
Thanks in advance.
Good Morning,
S&R is a membership type store. It's parent company is Costco in the United States. I think their yearly membership cost is something like P700. Not bad for the items they carry.
Here's a link to their and they have a list of locations.
Navajo52
FortuneFavorsTheBold wrote:Costco is not related to S&R.
My information may be wrong but I had been curious about it and found what I thought was a credable article saying it was.
Whatever it is, I'm gonna have to get a membership and give them a try.
大咖福利影院 for your expat journey




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