Cost of Living In The Philippines
So what is the cost of living in the Philippines? The question I get most often is something like “I make less than $1000USD per month. Is that enough to live comfortably in the Philippines?” I wish I could answer that question for you but I can’t. Not in a word. I can help you though.
Yes, it is enough to live here on $1000 a month. Comfortably live in the Philippines for $1000 a month! Its up to your definition of comfortable. I know people that do it for half that.
Some Expats that Live in Cebu
Their idea of comfortable is different from my own though. I couldn’t do it. I could live here on less than I live on in the USA though. That’s the number one reason I’m here.
Most Filipino earn less than $1000 dollars a month. Most make much less. Perhaps that’s why the kids are often asking me to give them one million dollars. 
Now I’m living on a good deal more than $1000 a month. Some things I gave up include a car, centralized hot water (hot water at all for a while), Nestle’s Quick, American cable TV (can get it over the net for about $250 a month), and central air conditioning. That’s only a few. There are others. No Walmart, no going to the pharmacy at 3am. If you don’t live in a large city, forget going to the theater on a whim. I have to ride a bus 80 miles to get there. I have to go that far for a cigar but wow, the cigar I get is awesome! If you live in Cebu City, you will do without less but you’ll pay more for everything.
The question I get most often is something like “I make less than $1000USD per month. Is that enough to live comfortably in the Philippines?”
Some of things you give up will be a little difficult at first. I suggest you look around though and see how much the Filipino needs to live on. Do you really need all these things? No, you don’t and will likely miss them much less within three months.
I can’t imagine finding a retired military man finding it hard to get by with little income. At least my perception of them. It sure beats being shot at in some desert.
You need to come visit before you abandon everything from home. You need an exit plan. If you hate it, can you get out? You need to have the means to go back to your home country. If you don’t have the means, have a backup plan so that you can obtain those funds. That is cut back on your cost of living so that You’ll have the funds within say 30 days. You can usually get back to the West Coast of the USA for less than $600.
I could live here on less than I live on in the USA though.
When I came, I had a return ticket but it was refundable. So I canceled and got my refund. For many visitors, you’ll need an onward ticket when you arrive. You can get one to Thailand if you need too save money.
Generally, it will cost more to live in Luzon, the main island and less to live in Mindanao. Please keep in mind, I said generally. I write about Cebu because that is what I know. You’ll have a more Americanized lifestyle in many parts of Luzon. You’ll have a more Filipino lifestyle in Cebu and even more so, in Mindanao.
Living In Cebu: Example Cost
There are so many factors, other than cost, that will determine if you can be comfortable in the Philippines. You’re going to have to come and see of yourself. I’ll list some of my expenses and compare them to what they were in the USA. That will help you:
| Item | Philippines | USA | Notes |
| Housing | $280.00 | $1100 | My home here is much bigger than in USA. |
| Electricity | $200 | $200 | Cost has been rising lately. They say per Kwh it is more here. I am not going to take the time to figure that out. I will be cool. Pay it and move on. |
| Medication | $200 | $1500 | Brands name medications are about the same price. Sometimes a little more. Sometimes I can’t get them at all and had to use a generic they had here instead. For most meds, you don’t need to see the doctor for an Rx. |
| Night Out | $20 | $200 | $20 if I take friends AND go to the disco. $5.oo Just my girl and I. |
| Bus Trip To Cebu | $2.50 | n/a | |
| Hotel Room in Cebu | $15.00 | n/a | |
| Two Live In Maids | $70.00 | forget about it! | Will cost more in Cebu City and a lot more in Manila. Twice as much in Cebu City too. |
It is important to remember, the value of you dollar will fluctuate. I’ve seen it as low as 39P to $1 ($39 to 1Peso) and that made things very tight for me. I’ve seen it as high as 50P to $1 ($50 to 1P thanks Kevin) since I’ve been here. I was able to take more trips around the country when it was there.
Learn More About The Cost Of Living In The Philippines
I write quite a lot about the cost of living in my eBook The Basic Expat Training Manual. It includes my actual budget and a lot more.
I hope this provides a little assistance with understanding what it cost to live here. Some apprehension about moving here is normal. For most people, it stops them from actually coming.
One thing I’m certain of, the cost of living in the Philippines can and should be much less than that of living in the West.
Tagged with: Cost of Living In Cebu • Cost of Living in The Philippines • Expat Finances • Living in Cebu • Living In The Philippines
Filed under: Expat Finances
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Rusty – After several trips to Cebu, and now a wife and child there. I am leaving Phoenix to move to Cebu next week. Great site with useful info. Just a point as to the dollar to peso rate you cite. They seem to be reveresed. (i.e., $50 to 1P should be 50P to $1) a small mistake but HUGE difference.
Yeah, just a tad bit refereed. LOL That’s like me. Thanks, I’m gonna go fix that now.
Your cost of living should go WAY down. If I had to go back to the USA, Phoenix is one of the places I would consider. At the rate it is growing though, i doubt low cost housing isn’t all that easy to find.
LOL The FIRST time I fixed it, I did it again and just reversed the order. Geesh Rusty…. And I have a degree in accounting
Rusty,
I have read everything you have put out and love it. living in Panama when in the military showed me a simple way of life. now divorced living in the desert I find every month I am slowly going into the hole. I live a very simple life with no frills (satellite or cable) I want to continue this lifestyle there in Cebu.The drawback I now have is selling my house and moving. I am just trying to break even not make a profit.
Would you tell me what a 2 or 3 bedroom house within 5 to 6 miles from town would run me in a descent neighborhood? You have stated an unfurnished house is cheaper. What would would it cost me to furnish it? I have learned that getting your money can be a hassle. I was going to have my money direct deposited to my bank and take a debit card to live on. Now I am told this is not a good idea, Why? How much initial cash should I bring with me? Should it be cash or travelers checks? And Rusty last but not least. I am divorced and have been for a while. Is it hard to find a good and I mean a church goer good woman who will live with an old man. I am 64. In fair condition. and what age should I look for. I do not want any more kids. I feel awkward even mentioning the above. Well I am old not dead. Ha Ha. One more thing. Is there any one you know of that would help me with my move. get me a place to stay while I am looking, pick me up from the airport, etc. I do not want to be a bother. I would be glad to pay for the service. Well Rusty, I will close. I figure you have more things to do than answer my questions.
Sincerely,
Rik Renfro
Thanks for your kind words.
Pay, hey he said PAY! Woot.
I’m trying to come up with a consultancy pricing structure.
I’ve taken a break from writing and now that I’m back I realized something. I’m an expert on expat.
I can add that to expert girl watcher and expert bull**tter. LOL Girls say “I’m not pretty” and I reply with “trust me, you are, I’m expert on watching pretty girls.” They laugh and then the shy Filipina kicks in and they run off. lol
I need to write an ebook and also offer personal one on one time.
Every answer I give though must come with the concept that this is the way it is for me. You might find it different for you. Its a little scary to have someone change their life in the way your describing and then have them come here an hate it. Some will hate it but I really think, most will totally love it here. For me, it may have been the best decision I ever made. If I could just get my health back to a reasonable level and yes, raise my income a little, I could travel all over this wonderful land. I’m already having the time of my life though.
Don’t be uncomfortable. Nearly every guy here is here for the lower cost of living and finding a good but very hot woman. One guy told me, I like the way you just come right out and say it.
Direct deposit to your US bank account is good. Debit cards, for most of us are not a good idea. If you have a lot of cash in the bank though and can get a good debit card with low fees then that is good. I’d look at HSBC for an account if you have 50,000 in your account. Actually, I think they require 70K USD but when I saw those kind of numbers, I knew it was not going to be an option for me. I’ll write another story about how to get your money. There are some here already but it wont hurt to add another.
Try this link for now:
http://cebuexperience.com/living-in-the-philippines/expat-finances/how-expats-get-their-money-in-the-philippines/2585/
lol..i love youre article,,,been busy for a week,,so you spend time in solving how filipinos live their life here,comparing to yours,,,thats one reasong why foreigner here is much still standard than the filipinos,,,even though they are out of the country they can still live here the way they want,,
I don’t understand “so you spend time in solving how filipinos live their life here,comparing to yours”
I do try to observe and understand Filipino culture. I don’t think I spend any time comparing theirs to mine.
I was comparing cost of living in the Philippines for an American vs the USA. Not comparing what Filipino spend. I don’t have any idea what they usually spend.
I know, that very few have a $200 per month light bill!
Hey Carlo, I re-read that article and now it makes sense to me what you meant
Well it did, my memory is so bad I already forgot again. LOL
Hey Rusty, I have been reading your site for about a year now. Although I haven’t posted messages. I would like to thank you for all the great advice and information you give. I also live in Cebu, Lapu-Lapu actually. I think it would be great to get all the ex-pats together for chats and beer.
I am one of the few younger Americans living here, (37). and I didn’t have an income when I came. I was naive in thinking I could easily get work at the local call center. Yeah, I was wrong, lol. So I have been working for companies online. I love the life I have here, and I am looking forward to many more years here. My fiancee and I are currently making about 1k US per month, so it is possible to live here on that income, but I don’t have much of the same life I had in the USA, ie…bars and nightlife. BTW my power is high here also, cant live without my A/C. 
Edit by Admin. Sorry but I can't allow you to promote that site hereHey there, Rusty.
Like Jeff, I’ve enjoyed your blog for some time now, and wanted to write and say thanks for the insight you share here. And did I read somewhere that you are preparing to put out a book?? Can’t wait to see that!
Thanks again for all the info you share here!!
Nat
P.S. Jeff, I’d love to chat with you about how you’re making things work there financially. Feel free to drop me a line: nifty_nat@yahoo.com
Hi Nat,
Good to hear from you.
That book will be out very soon. I need to read over it a few more times. That’s all that remains at this point. Trying to take an objective look at it and making sure that is of value.
Hey Rusty, I like your website. I have a question I have not been able to answer so far about diabetic medication in the Philippines. I know you can buy a pill for just about any thing but I need Insulin — either Novolog 70/30 or Humalog 75/25. I inject 45 units, twice a day. Do you have any idea what a U-100 vial of either of these cost there in the Philippines?
I’m in Florida, on medicare, and the Medicate Prescription Drug Supplement more or less sucks. To make a long story short, I am paying upward of $300.00 USD a month for this one drug. My question is: can you get this easily there in Cebu City and what is the ballpark figure for the cost.
I’m planning to relocate to the Philippines (either Cebu or Davao) in early spring, next year. Thanks. –Rich–
I don’t know but I will try to find out. Insulin can be obtain here though.
I just tried to call and the phone is not working. Not uncommon either. We have a dail tone but the number for the drug store is out of service or under repair at this time. grrrr We get that a lot.
I’ve wondered if Medicare will pay for anything outside the USA? Do you know?
Will try to find out about the cost of insulin. Drugs that are generic here are very inexpensive. Non generics are much more expensive but still usually much cheaper than the USA.
My total cost for drugs in the USA was over 1000 a month, often up to 1500 a month. In the Philippines its around $200 per month. I end up paying about the same after insurance though. I have excellent insurance as I retired through the old civil service retirement system.
if I had been in the normal social security pool, I’d probably be dead. If not, I’d certainly be working.
Hey Rich,
They don’t have Novolog in my city. Probably not the Philippines but I just checked with one pharmacy.
Humalog is 755P for a cartridge and a U100 vile is 1720P. So that’s around $37. How does that compare to the USA? I don’t have any idea what it cost there.
Rusty,
Thank you for your wonderful and informative site. My wife and I have made the decision to relocate to the Philippines within the next few years. The insights you provide will invaluable to us as we continue to investigate and learn about our future home.
Thank you,
Al Perez
Thank you Al for taking the time to say thank you. You’re very welcome, glad it is of help!!!!!
hi rusty!
im still here. LOL. got no work today, that’s why. got hooked in here. LOL.
just want to help Mr Rich with his diabetic medication problem. try asking question here how to deal with diabetic. mr rich can tweet his question via mr soriano’s tweeter account (http://twitter.com/broelisoriano). he is an asthmatic since his teen age and his mom is a diabetic one like mr rich. he can help you find the best medication for his diabetes. he was able to help so many how to best deal with this problem.
i hope i can be of help to him.
thanks rusty for your very informative site.
keep it up.
god bless you and your family.
jordan
Good site, I have gotten some good info here. I’m thinking about moving to the Phillippines. I’m actually 1/4 filipino, my grandfather was filipino, I still look basically caucasian with just a faint hint of asian features so if I find someone I’ll still look like a typical American and worry there may be some negative reactions. My mother hasn’t had contact for many years with any relatives from overseas and has lost any contact info. I’m wondering if it is easy to track people down there, I’m assuming it’s difficult, but maybe it’s not as bad as I think. I only have my grandfathers name and really don’t know where to start looking. I’m not sure how any relatives would react to me or if they would even care but I am still interested in meeting people on my mothers side of the family.
I’m 50 years old and am thinking about retiring early. However, my “retirement” will consist of close to 400,000 dollars that I’ve saved over the years. A few years ago my son died and I decided I don’t want to continue living the same life until 65, instead maybe I’ll go somewhere and try something different in life. I do feel a little insecure about trying to retire on the money I have, I’m trying to work out some investment plans to maximize earnings but in today’s economy it’s difficult. I’m quite wiling to live a fairly austere lifestyle and have no health problems whatsoever so don’t need to spend a lot to survive. In some way I hate to leave, I like my job and don’t want to leave it but I’m not crazy about the city I live in and many painful memories I have to face everyday. If it’s more expensive than I think to live in the Phillippines I worry my money might run out and I’ll be an old many broke and who hasn’t worked for many years. If I make the move my time ETA is in the next year and a 1/2 or so. Thanks for any advice or info. gerald
Wow Gerald, interesting!
You should be able to do very well in the Philippines with that kind of money. It would be easy to live on $3000 a month. In fact, you’d live VERY well on that kind of money and that would last you 11 years if you didn’t earn a dime.
I would look strongly at a business on the web! I don’t know why more don’t do this. I’ve been going about it all wrong and I’m changing my ways and seeing results. I hope that continues.
You sound like the perfect candidate to live in the Philippines. The desire to explore is one of my main reasons to being here. The cheap cost of living was number one. the women are number two. I can’t find a girl as hot and loving as my girl, not in the USA I can’t. Sorry, that may suck too hear for some people but it is just a fact.
If you don’t know what city your family was from, I think it will be very hard to find them. IF you know the city or near the city then I think you can find them without a lot of problem/ Especially if it is a small city. Now if Manila or Cebu, I don’t know. Not of lot public record here, I don’t think.
They will accept you with wide open arms. They will be very excited about you, one because you are a foreigner. They may have business opportunities for you but this is a dangerous road to go down. They will likely be very hopeful that you will help them. Their lives are a lot different from yours. You are super rich to them. Heck, you’re rich to me.
Don’t let that discourage you. I think your family could enrich your life but you need to be aware that as my girlfriend tells me all the time, “they see you as an ATM.” So be discreet and help if you can but you will have to be able to say no. Diplomacy could go a long way with this. Start handing out gifts and I think you’ll head into trouble. Most would be happy to work if they just had something to work for! So you might be able to turn that into a win-win situation. Caution is the word here.
I hope to see you around often!
Man, this is an awesome and informative article. I’m a Filipino living in Manila, and let me just say that it’s true $1000 a month will just about cover all your expenses in Cebu. Living in Manila is a totally different thing. It’s a bit more expensive here, and there really are a lot more places here that would suck you dry. Literally lolz! I guess Cebu would be the better choice since everything there just seems more laid back and cleaner. Imagine spending the rest of your life hanging out on the beach with a cold brew on your hand and a hot babe on the other.
Hi Rich, thanks for the comment and the very good insight you provide too.
Don’t most of those living in Manila make less than $1000 a month?
I know most Cebuanos do.
Most that have jobs here make less than $200 a month.
That’s right Rusty. Most people in Manila make less than $1000 and they manage to get by. This is even doable with a family of five. The thing is just how much you wanna give up. But if it was just you and your girl, I guess $1000 would be fine. I have a lot of expat friends from the US, Korea, Japan and even Iran who came over to live here, and were immensely successful with their ventures. You just have to be very smart and invest your money wisely. I don’t know if I should be giving this tip, but Filipinos are generally very TRUSTING of expats, particularly Americans. Too trusting in fact. This is probably because we’ve been a colony for so long and even had the US military bases here after that. So they almost see Americans as big brothers.
Most of my expat friends have built little empires of their own. Americans have their call centers and they make a lot of money out of it. The Koreans bring in electronics, the Japanese are buying up beach side real estate to put up scuba diving resorts, and the Iranians put up restaurants (it’s sort of the new food fad here). All of them have married Filipinas and have stayed here for good, making lots of beautiful babies. The secret I guess, is not to sever your ties with your home country, but actually take advantage of it. Bring something in that Filipinos don’t have. Remember: Filipinos are suckers for all things imported. It’s that colonial mentality kicking in again.
The thing that I can guarantee from what I see from my foreign friends is this: Life here is so laid back (to the extent that you are able to afford to have other people to personally cook, clean, and take care of you) that if you are just able to sustain a lifestyle that you want in the Philippines (which is strangely easy for the expats) maybe by putting up a business or if you’re fine with your pension, you’re pretty much cruising for the rest of your life. The dollar is still king in this country. Just don’t get your ass conned.
It is a lot different out here where I live. Most Filipino I know can’t buy imports.
Of course Makati is much different.
I don’t have an empire, one needs cash to open a call center.
I do want to offer some web work and am thinking of using an outsourcing firm to do that with.
Mostly, I just have my pension and make a little on the web. I’m working hard to make more on the web. I’m on a tourist visa so I can’t invest but don’t have the cash anyway.
I can work on the web though. Maybe one day I can hire 10 Filipino and get into business that way.
I have a writer (web content) that I pay $10 per 1,000 words. This is great for me. Here in America – I may have to pay up to 3 to 4 times as much.
She tells me about all the islands and I have seen them in pictures and on youtube. Looks so beautiful. However, what is the downside? I mean is the transportation system and structure pretty bad over there?
Yes there are downside on living in the Philippines. I suggest you read this blog and you’ll find them. Lots of places within the blog and my ebook I speak of the less than pleasant aspects of the Philippines. Honestly though, there is probably more on the negative side in my eBook than within the website. Still there is a lot of negative aspects of living in the Philippines that I’ve written about already. A lot!
rusty your information is really good. Thank you. I am wondering what type of lifestyle can i live off $2500 a month. Also how much does it cost in american to buy a nice house with a little land in cebu? I was thinking of a house 4+ bedroom house. Also i alot of people have been talking about working with an online business. what are they generally meaning by this? Also how do philipna women act? with there culture are they generallly good wifes, loyal, family oriented, affectionate, house wifes? They are extremely gorgeous but i dont want to get stung.
Dalton, only Filipino citizens can own property in the Philippines. You can take out a 50 year lease and build a home it. One should defiantly educate themselves on that before hand. Much information in my eBook and on this website too but you’ll have to dig for it. I probably would’t do it.
If you buy land in a Filipina’s name, wife or otherwise, consider it a gift. It is hers.
You can own a condominium and that’s my long term goal. Perhaps it won’t take too much longer. The only problem with that is that I’ll probably have to move back to the city and I like living out in the rural areas.
The cost varies greatly, you can pay a lot or you can get it quite cheap. Depends on where. The condos I look at go for P1.5 to P4 million. Homes about the same. (divide by 42 to get dollar amount). There is an awesome beach home for sale on Bantayan Island for less than $200,000 but I don’t remember the exact cost. That’s kind of high but you’re paying for the location. It has also been on the market for at least a couple of years.
Usually you will need a 25% deposit and the loan will be paid off in two short years. From memory, I don’t look into much. I rent a four bedroom tri-level cement home for less than $280 a month.
Dalton I suggest that u do a lot of research 1st and take a vacation there to figure out what it is you are willing to give up and compromise on. You can have all the luxuries of USA and pay close to the same prices if you want to live in a big city like Cebu. But if you hunt around for better deals get friendly with the locals you will be able to find the real deal out there without a whole lot of effort. Living outside the city is a huge cost savings. I would say Rusty would easily be spending $620 more a month to live in a similar house in the USA. Most of your questions are answered on this site in other topics and replies.
Bruce, if you want the same you want pay almost as much, you’ll pay more. But you can live in Cebu City cheaply. Housing is still quite cheap there and food can be had cheaply. There are Filipino style eateries all over the city.
Or you can go to Ayala Mall which caters to the upscale Filipino and well to do Foreigners and pay a lot more for the same thing. You do not have to leave Cebu City to live better with less money. You also don’t have to have central air and a condo with a pool.
I think the most happy expat is the guy making between $1500 to $3000 a month. The more money you have, the better life you can have in the USA. A single guy with $1500 a month living in the USA is dead broke unless he has his home and car paid for. That is not true here. Here he can have a good life on that. He can afford to go out, he can afford to even travel a bit. He can support a Filipina and her kids too if she has them and he can even have a maid.
I know you read a lot from some folks that talk about how expensive it is. They are not your typical expat. In fact, most of them are not expats at all.
If someone spend 5 to 10K a month in the USA they can have a good life there. Here you can have a good life on $1000 a month, meager in material things but still a good life. What is the social life of a guy making $1000 a month in the USA? He can’t afford to step out of the door. LOL
If I had tons of money, I would be more inclined to visit the Philippines and live in the USA. Find a Filipino beauty, marry her and take her home. For me, the Philippines is home, the USA is the States.
The home I owned in the USA took half my income. Before I left, I turned it into a boarding home and had three room mates. That would have paid the mortgage. So there are way to make the USA work too.
It is cheaper, to live in the Philippines. It just is. If one chooses to make it cost as much, it takes a great deal of work to pull that off but it can be done with effort.
Soon, I will be going to Palawan, it is a classic example of why it is cheaper here. Two round trip tickets for less than $150 and four nights in a Western hotel for $300. I could stay in Cebu City in a pension house for around half of that amount. My rent for an unfurnished place in Bogo is the same at it would be in the City.
When I first came, I had a furnished place in Metro Cebu, very nice place for around $500 a month but that was a very nice place.
$15 for a hotel room in Cebu, where????, I just spent a week in Cebu and the average cost of hotel was $60 a night, and that wasnt luxury,
Hi Rob,
With the dollar to Philippine peso currency trading at 42.4000 and price increases it is closer to $20 at this time. Here are two places.
Cebu View has in room Wi Fi for P900 or so without wi-fi its about P750. It isn’t in the best area and might not be good idea for someone new to the Philippines.
Pacific Pension only has wi-fi in the lobby and it is hot for me.
It is a very good area,Osmena Circle but down a side street so a little hard to find. About P850 for a room with air con and private CR.
There are rooms all over Cebu City for under P1500. I have never paid more than that.
Hint: when looking for a room in the Philippines, don’t search for hotel unless you want a nice place. Search for pension house.
Also Rob, I suspect those $60 rooms would be considered luxurious by Filipino standards. Don’t expect the same quality bed for $20 a night but if you give it a try, you’ll probably be happy with it.
I have no doubt you can live almost anywhere in the filipines for around $1000. I could live in Manila for that price, but I would not be able to do a lot.
As you mentioned Rusty, it really depends on what a person considers comfortable. I lived in Sindangan, Mindanao and our rent was $110 for a fairly decent place. Food was CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.
But in Sindangan there were NO malls and NO movie theaters. That is not good for me!!!
The biggest thing is the rent, electricity, and of course food. For me it is almost electricity as I need air con when I am there.
On my last trip to the Philippines in April of this year I stayed in Makati, Manila. The hotel I stayed at was not great, in fact sorta dumpy. But the service was EXCELLENT and it is in a location I really like and am comfortable with. A month stay at this “condotel” was a little over $400, which is very good for 30 days of living in a furnished and serviced residence.
That $400 included all water and electricity. It was a small unit but that did not bother my fiance and me. What I have noticed when in the filipines is that things I thought I needed to live in America…I do not care much about when in the filipines.
Medication is much cheaper. One medication that used to cost me $98 a month in America I could get in the filipines for $22. It was the EXACT same medication!!!
If you want maids and drivers then of course the cost is going to go up. But I think most guys could live pretty decent on $1500 to $2000 a month almost anywhere in the filipines. And if you want to live in a smaller city, farther out…you could easily live on less than $1000 but you might also be bored out of your mind. It really depends.
Generics are cheaper her, brand names, if you can get them cost about the same.
My monthly medication bill before insurance went from $1100 a month to under $200. Now there were a couple things I couldn’t get. One of them I need. It is a steroid jell and I need it for my skin. Causing me more and more problems I’m afraid. However, getting into the salt water does just as good. I just can’t easily do that every day. I could go to Odlot, a small low cost resort near me.
I’m going to Virgin Beach Resort soon, it is low cost too and close but the roads are not great. Takes a little time and I don’t have my own car. Still, it would cost me about P500 a trip and that is just a lot more money than I’m use to spending now.
I missed many of the things from the US for the first few months but what I gained far outweighed that. And now I don’t miss them at all. This is my home now. I’ll probably be buried here.
I want to go visit the USA but the cost are prohibitive when I need so many things, like a car.
And I “need” a new camera. haha And I’m not going to buy another cheap one, Cannon 7D probably or maybe I’ll settle for the Rebel Tsi I think it is. I have my sites set on a 7D. I would like an even more advanced DSLR but the 7D is quite pricey. The price went up too after the earthquake in Japan. 
i want to meet my gf so i want to go to phils. plz tell me how much money it required to spend 1 week there
Sarvesh, I really can’t answer that but there is plenty of information here to get an idea. How much you need depends on you. A decent room can be had for around $20 a night. I’ve already said that. You can go out an eat for $5 or you can go out to eat and pay a LOT more.
ok but plz tell me if im already having a room to stay……
I have a friend who lives in Cebu city area and he is living with a $700 a month police officers pension, and still has enough to help out with money to his in-laws and his wife’s parents. There is enough left for food and pay his rent.
Charles
Hmmm, $700 a month. I don’t want anyone to read that and think life would be easy here on that.
My electric bill this month was 240.00. I have an air con in one room set at 25C which I think is about 77F. A guy living on $700 a month would have very little left. hard to find a place to rent that is close to Western standards for less than $240 a month. That would probably not include hot water for the shower.
Yes you can live here on $700. I know someone else that is doing it and has a girlfriend maybe married now, not sure. He has enough money to be drunk pretty much every day from what I can tell. I don’t think he has air con. I don’t knwo where he is living. He had found a place for P4500 but he moved from there because it was too hot. I don’t know where he is now.
You might be eating a lot of rice and dried fish on $700 a month. I can see though how that could still be enjoyable. Women here treat a guy right when you find the right one.
I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m just saying expect a meager existence as for material things.
If a guy was to move in with his gf’s family it would be easier, no doubt and if you’re rugged enough to handle it, I think it would be a nice life. I”m not rugged enough.
I just turned the air con up to 26 and soon my face will feel like it will burst into flames but I’m more hot natured than most people.
I know a hotel in Mandaue City just a little down from the old bridge to Mactan where we live. Actually we are renting there for P 6,500 while my wife attends college at Southwestern University in Cebu City. At this hotel, you can get a nice room for 280 Pesos and up, and the place is not run down and kept clean. I think the one I stayed in was around 400 Pesos and had an air-conditioner. I will upload some photos of it to my retiringphilippine.org website. The Filipina lady that owns it spent time in Dallas Texas. There is another one a Japanese style place where you rent a bed in a big open room, the beds are separated by partitions, it goes for P250 a night. It even has a storage place where you can keep some of your belongings. My wife and I stayed there once. has a nice large shower room one for men one for ladies. I will upload the photo to my site under the tab Beach Resorts, Hotels then Cebu.
P400 for air con is great. But a taxi ride into town is also P400 sooo….. p800 at pacific pension is a better way for me.
Send me a photo and a short review and I will post it up on my Cebu Hotels Page.
By the way building WordPress Websites for P 3997 or about $93 each can usually get one up in one day. Do you think I am too expensive or too cheap?
But that would be really good for someone that new the jeepney routes or had their own transportation. Someone looking for those kinds of rates should probably be on a jeepney anyway. I kind of enjoy them but Jessie tends to keep me off of them. They seem to be a trouble magnet? I don’t use them a lot. hot. :0 As for the review, I’ve already written two maybe three reviews on it.
Lately I’ve been staying at CebuView, not in a great area and a little bit more but they have in room Internet. I may be there tomorrow. I planned on going yesterday and today. But I’m still sitting at home.
Hello,
I live and work as a contractor in Kuwait. I am trying to buy the book, but the firewall on Gov’t computer will have me waiting until I get access–maybe my I-phone. I tried the code “Rusty” that is what locked me out.
I have meet a wonderful Filipina. Can you tell me the requirements for us to get married in PI? Also, I am in need of a reversal vasectomy–we want to have our own family–should I look to get that done in the US or is medical good enough to accomplish in PI–please forgive my ignorance, but that is why I’m asking–I have no clue!!
Thanks in advance!
Darren
HI Darren, maybe this alternate site will work better for you http://expatmanual.com. AS for were to get the surgery, it will be much cheaper here but that use to be a surgery with pretty uncertain outcome. I don’t know if it is still is or not. est chance of success would be getting it in the USA but you’ll save a LOT of money if you have it done in the Philippines.
Rusty
Thanks for the info and will get the book! Also, can you pleaswe delete my last name off…Thanks, I did not realize it would publish.
Thanks,
Darren Smith (lol)
Your welcome Mr Smith.
I removed it for you. If you get stuck, I can send an payment request to your email via email and then enter you into the system manually. I’ll send it at the coupon price of course. Just let me know.
Rusty,
Can you send me the info…I am not being successful with the firewall here. I can get to paypal.
Thanks
D
HI Darren, I’ve been away for a few days. You might have sent me an email a week or so ago as someone else mentioned this problem. I’m not sure if that was you or someone else. What info? You’re trying to buy the eBook? Go to http://expatmanual.com and you don’t have to go to Paypal there.
If you don’t have my email address it is rusty@cebuexperience.com I may have close to 1000 emails to wade through! So I might be a wee bit slow for a day or so.
Oh my, I have 1151 new emails.
Hello, po! I was wondering since I might be moving back to the Philippines what the cost of living would be like in Manila. I’ll be moving there with one of my sons (my oldest in a year or so) and would like to also know in average how much grocery run per month. Also how much school would cost per child. My youngest will be going to kindergarden and my oldest will be in high school. I’ve tried to look through other sites about how much it would cost to rent a house/apartment but could never find anything, or would itbecheaper to buy a house? And another one more question (sorry so many), will it be hard to fix my sons papers there since they are both US citizens? I really, really appreciate all the help!!
Salamat po!!
Hi Charie, Not sure I spelled you spelled that right? Typo, Charlie? I can’t tell you what your average grocery bill will be. That depends on you. I do have my budget in my eBook which includes my answering all the specific question you need via email.
But if you search the site, you’ll find info on what I pay for rent and issues about buying a house are included. I don’t know what you mean by “fix” my son’s papers, what’s wrong with them? If you’re Filipino, you will likely re-enter on a Balikbayan visa as it is commonly called. They will be covered under that too if I’m not mistaken. If you have not lost your citizenship, I don’t recall all the particulars. Full details are in my eBook on this too. Honestly, I got the information from searching the web so it is out there for free but it could take hours to get it. http://cebuexperience.com/living-in-the-philippines-the-basic-expat-training-manual/
I should say that your cost of living in Manila will be significantly higher than that of Cebu which is where I live. But again, no one can tell you what YOUR cost of living in the Philippines will be. It depends way too much on what you can accept as your standard of living. For most people it will be less than that of the USA but not for all. A few manage to spend more money living in the Philippines,.
You spelled my name right =). What I meant by ‘fix’ was because I thought both of my boys needed some kind of citizenship papers to be able to live in the Philippines. Was it hard living there the first time you got there? I’m a bit nervous about going back there because I haven’t been there since I was seven-years-old. Salamat for the all the help! I’m trying to get as much as information I can get before moving over there.
All they need is their birth certificate. If they were born in the USA they are US citizens. The USA doesn’t have citizenship papers for people that are born there. You could bring their SSN cards too I suppose.
You need to read up on Balikbayan visas. That is likely what you’ll be coming as. It is good for a year. You can get your citizenship back, I don’t recall all the particulars. Your Philippine passport and/or your birth certificate would be a great help. I think you’ll need one of those for you balikbayan visa. You can always enter on tourist visa though and get the documents you need once you are here.
Rusty,
Me again, as a single man, do you suggest Cebu as being the best spot for social life? I have seen furnished places online but I think those are Gringo prices. I would want a furnished very modern apartment, how much do you think I could find a place like that for? Thanks Brian
P.S. High speed internet any issues? I need Skype to continue working my business while I am there.
Furnished places that I know of usually go for P25,000 a month or more. You’re better off waiting until you get here to find a place to live. You can stay in a hotel for $25 a night until you find a place.
I use Skype, it wont be a fast as your connection in the USA and it won’t be a reliable but it will get the job done.