$1200 budget

Yes, it is possible but the apartment will be limited to studio or one bedroom of older buildings.  Electricity of course will depend on usage but don't expect low rates compared to the States.  Probably a necessary appliance is airconditioner during the summer which will drive up electricity consumption.  Food is ok as long as you don't eat in fancy restaurants frequently.

$1200 USD is equivalent to Php 50,000.00

Accommodation = Php 6,000 - 10,000
Electricity Bill    3,000 -  5,000
Food   (This is not so expensive)
Telephone (Very Cheap mobile phone rate)
Transportation

You could still save. If you want to have a well furnished accommodation, There are some 10,000 to 15,000

So 1,200 you can have a studio for 10,000 your electricity at the maximum would be 5,000 (with AC turned on all the time), food 5,000 PHP, telephone 200 PHP and the rest to have fun?

30000 PHP, you still have 20,000.

its very possible although would say Cebu is probably cheaper to live than Makati. How often would you like to go to the beach is the big question as it may pay to live nearer the city but slightly provincial then travel to the beaches when you want. Things like using a pool at a resort generally costs P100 a day and travelling down to beaches (away from the city) is cheap via buses getting away from the pollution and enjoying the day allowing travelling around the island and others. Mactan also has some boat hire places allowing island hopping as well at reasonable rates although advise booking via an expat group to avoid overcharging. Rents and electric is also cheaper in the provinces. Aircon costs around P1,000 for night use and general electric around P600 a month on a 1 bed room apartment generally.

Davao has  been voted  the  best  city in the  Philippines  for  expat, cost  of  living  is  good, lot  of  beach, friendly people you will love it , give  it  a  try

i don't think so that electric bills in

Philippines is cheap, turning AC all the time will burn your budget,unless the apartment owner trick the meter or they have jumper. i payed month for my electric around 250 usd a month even i only turn AC 3 times a day for 10 or 15 minutes.Lots of criminal in manila doing jumper, so if you're honest consumer you will pay a lot for the losses because the Meralco will charge the consumers for the looses.So many  consumers stealing electric so, as a honest consumer you will be charged of the looses, this is what I hate in Philippines. Lots of so and so appeared to your electric Bill, Minimum of 7k a month for electric, and few use of AC for few minutes I am sure, you even can't use washing machine only spin dry and your bill will not less than 7k a month. And expect that your bills in electric more higher if the one registered in Meralco has a Foreign Family name they will increase price per watts! another thing they do, the person that work in Meralco  and reading your meter they increase more watts to your bill and when payed, they will take the rest of money from your actual bill.You will see it on tv what cheaters do in Philippines.If you live in farm are for sure it's different price per watts it is lower, but in big City? that's impossible to use AC everyday and get minimum of 5k php a month for bill.

I don't think so! I am filipina but I doubt with such budget to live in Manila or Cebu with fun for a Foreigner with that amount.Because I know there's no difference between manila and cebu, most are suckers and lots of hookers they charged too much even for taxi and hotels.With your 50 USd per night in Hotel it will be very ugly and very small not even a hotel just apartel.And internet is not reliable but they put on website so many blah blah wifi  and so on but no connection.They put on website different price but when you arrived it's different story, you even have to pay for the tax in Apartel Manila, too small room.It's too risky to give false information especially you are a foreigner In case you will short with your budget you'll be in big trouble and no one will help you or hand you money to come back to your place especially if you get your things stolen.The same in Cebu you can't get a very good hotel room or accommodation if you don't pay at least 300 USD per night in hotel. Foods and things are expensive, from Mactan Cebu to Ayala Mall it cost 1500 php so prepare for 3000php for back and forth to your hotel in Mactan.Water dirty it sometimes yellowish, before to get to beach resort you have to see squatters side to side, dusty and sticky air. Cebu is a little Manila. So i don't understand what others like from that place, it's like public toilet too crowd and lots of cheater.. sad to say but it's true. If you want to pay 4,000Php for place to sleep I assure you the location is in Squatter ,living in dirty not decent room.You'll mix up yourself with the locals living in squatter.But if you really want to visit Philippines for a nice summer vacation in white sand beach with affordable price and you can do scuba diving for cheaper price, I can share you information that probably it will fit to your budget try to check this link
takatuka-lodge.com/english/mainside/framesetengl.htm

agoda.com/asia/philippines/bacolod/planta_centro_bacolod_hotel_residences/reviews.html?tgrp=0#reviewTop
You can stay for a few days and enjoy the pool and when bored with it you may try to visit the nearest white beach resort in Negros. Try to check that Katakuta they have white sand, clean water and you could enjoy scuba diving. You can at least visit this place 3 times a month,to economize you better rent a house or apartment in Bacolod it start from 4000PHP to 7000PHP per month to rent house or apartment. Hotels or Pension house it's affordable big and clean room.If you want cheaper price of food buy in Public market, vegetables in the mall it's 3 times higher price than the vegies in the Public market.You can actually eat in canteen or restaurants it's affordable try Mang Inasal  125 or 150 php  it's fine.But if you are renting a house it is more cheaper to cook of course. Renting house it is 1 month deposit 1 month advance that's common agreement in Philippines.

palmasdelmarresort.net/
IN THIS  HOTEL RESORT THEY OFFERED PACKAGES... your pool swimming it's free but if you bored as I say go to white beaches near bacolod, you can try also Mountain Resorts, if you're mountain and falls lover.
Here's the link for a Mountain Resort

mambukalhaven.com/ 
experiencenegros.com/mambukal-mountain-resort/
This Mountain resort is 30 minutes drive from Main City of Bacolod, you can enjoy to hike and see the 7 waterfalls. just read about their accommodation they have Deluxe for 750 PHP per night. This is good place if you're a nature lover.

The Hotel rooms in Bacolod start from 1200 Php, if you take Pension house it is cheaper than 1000 php per night.But it's good room and clean.With the language, no problem as long as you speak English people could understand you, when you lost don't be shamed to ask, people are very friendly and they will point you to the right direction.

Wow! Lots of different opinions on what a person can live on...

I am going to the Phils in January for about 6 months and to hear from some people you need to pay $300 USD/night for a decent room is incredible I think you should be able to stay in a decent place for $50 USD/night...

I lived in Phuket, Thailand before on $1400/month for 3 years and had a nice house with weekly landscaping and a pool... However, I lived 45 min drive from the touristy areas (which would have tripled my rent)

I thought the Phils was cheaper than Thailand? Maybe I'm wrong? I figured to allow myself about $4,000 USD/month until I decide where I want to be settled... but after that (a couple months) I thought I could live comfortably on $2,000 USD/month and $1,200 USD/month would be enough for accommodations, food, basic necessities?

Obviously if you want to live an extravagant lifestyle, the sky is the limit... but I would think $1,200 USD/month would be enough to get by?

If it gets too expensive, you can try another country in SE Asia as I'm sure there are places that might be more affordable

Just my thoughts

All the best!

Johnny

it sure depends on the life style you are expecting to have. but as everybody else also mentioned before, electricity is extremely expensive. we live in a 130sqm condo with my family and our bill is 10k a month. never less. plus we are not on aircon at all times. some friends of mine who live in houses in villages, pay all your monthly budget for electricity. so, give a serious slice from your budget for that. 2nd, yes south east is good, philippines is amazing, but the districts,  expats can live are very limited. unfortunately hygene standarts and options are lower than thailand. in thailand, you have more options for accomodation, however, in manila a foreigner can not stay in every district and in every building. there is makati, ortigas maybe, and fort. and unfortunately with your whole budget, you can just rent an one bedroom in a new building...meaning, anything older than 8 years is old here. because maintenance standarts are not as we know. my mom lives in a 25 year old building in istanbul, but you can not do that here. let's assume you managed to find a studio apartment in a good district for 20k, which is difficult., that leaves you 30k. give like 7k to your bills since it will be a studio, so you have 23k in hand...maybe you will have a maid, 2-3k will work for a studio, so only 20 is left. with that you should be very careful abt money... there is one more issue. you gotta eat right??? if you are into imported consumables you can never finish the month... I mean you gotta learn to cook and fry with palm oil and live on rice...plus be very careful when you go out at night. only drink san miguel light and tanduay maybe, so you can get over.. imported drinks are not for this budget. I do not think you will be able to eat in good restaurants so often. so yes, with your budget you gotta be on hard terms... you sure can survive, 90% of the country survives with 5% of what you have in hand. but if you want a stress free, nice life, you should be prepared for more. plus, peso is gaining crazy money... when I 1st came here,we were changing 1 euro for 75p, now it is not even 50p. maybe I dissappointed you, but knowing the facts would help I guess.

Kimimela wrote:

The top end of my budget with bills, food, rent and all should be at 1,200.  But, even though I like the city, I think I would like the beaches of Cebu better. But, is Makati even possible with that sort of budget?

Yes ofcourse if you going to live in the sqauter area and eat fish and rice every day!!!

Rix wrote:

Kimimela wrote:

The top end of my budget with bills, food, rent and all should be at 1,200.  But, even though I like the city, I think I would like the beaches of Cebu better. But, is Makati even possible with that sort of budget?

Yes ofcourse if you going to live in the sqauter area and eat fish and rice every day!!!

my point exactly...

$1200 would  be  just  fine  in Davao City, nice  clean one  bed with air P2500 electric P1200, water P275, eat out  every day P600 that  leaves you P28,155 for  your  other  needs, in Manila  no but  who would  want to live  in Manila

Okieboy wrote:

$1200 would  be  just  fine  in Davao City, nice  clean one  bed with air P2500 electric P1200, water P275, eat out  every day P600 that  leaves you P28,155 for  your  other  needs, in Manila  no but  who would  want to live  in Manila

yeah, prices even in angeles city and laguna are very surprising... I can not believe the rents once you are out of manila, we are paying a fortune for this lausy condo in the fort, but once you are out of manila I believe we can rent a mansion for this. or even for less. even in alabang things are very different. I believe even in the supermarket. for example there are no budget markets around here... but we have to be here, for work. actually I think manila is the ugliest thing in the philippines.it gets better and better as you go away from the city.

Rix wrote:

Kimimela wrote:

The top end of my budget with bills, food, rent and all should be at 1,200.  But, even though I like the city, I think I would like the beaches of Cebu better. But, is Makati even possible with that sort of budget?

Yes ofcourse if you going to live in the sqauter area and eat fish and rice every day!!!

Nothing wrong with fish and rice everyday....vary the fish, vary the banana sauces...brilliant!

My favourite dish