Budget for move to Palawan

Hi Carl75, welcome to the forum.

I can only ask if you have spent time with the lot you are about to lease as well as the locale and amenities? The nipper hut and building costs no idea and watch out for the termites, everything here on the beach is rendered blocks and steel, your bike and quad allowance seems on the low side for new, furniture, white goods etc. seems about right and remember if you but a queen size bed here they are 3 inches shorter than western sizes.

Good luck with your venture.

Cheers, Steve.

Hi, we (2 adults, 1 child [7 years old]) are living in a condo in Boracay and the monthly budget without association dues and vacation is 126K  PHP. (utilities, internet, food, restaurants, school, cleaning material, clothes, vitamins, ....)

Others told me that they have spent 1M PHP / year while living here.

Good luck

Andy

Sounds like a dream! Been there in 1989 and 2012. Although I could not handle the stress of your description. Rather live in a nipa hut in a fishing village community on Long Beach. Money in the bank, leave whenever I want, just a suitcase, retired, 71, originally from London UK. 46 years abroad

Well Fred .. here's our thoughts.

We're currently building etc on Palawan right now. We have bought 10 hectares nearby the town of Roxas, the second largest town on Palawan and half-way between the capital, Puerto Princesa, and your El Nido at the island's tip. This means that our land prices, materials etc now cost half what they are in El Nido, if you can get them. 

On this project we have spent around P2 million for this virgin property and built three houses, two 2 bed and the other our 4 bedroom A-frame AirBNB.

My wife was a school teacher in Roxas for twelve years, so we have family and many local contacts whom have helped greatly.

Given your touristy location, your figures are certainly ball-park. Must say materials will be a problem, and expensive.

Suggest doing ALL your buying in Puerto, then renting one container and trucking it all in one operation. Save heaps.

Look around for your building team, and negoitate their daily wages (Foreman say P900/day, workers P6-700/day and you supply food and basic accomodation if not local. This may turn out very expensive! Set tight time deadlines.

Delay the boat purchase, and look around. We have never seen a boat on a trailer there, nor one being towed? Your locals make & moor fine sea-worthy wooden fishing boats. Walk along El Nido beachfront, and you'll see 4-sale signs.

Currently, we spend three or four months/year there and the rest in Australia. Must say, both are paradise. Probably Roxas Palawan will become most favoured for the life-style?

Good luck, and maybe see you around sometime, you do sound a sensible intelligent bloke. Cheers!

`

By the way Fred ..

Had a thought regarding your hiring workers on Palawan (Region V1-B Mimaropa).

As above, we pay our workers considerably more than the official Government award rates. The rates shown below are the official / legal Palawan Philippines daily minium.

Here's the latest min regional pay rates, as of March 2025

Palawan (V1-B Mimaropa) rates: P403 - P430 / day

https://i0.wp.com/newstogov.com/wp-cont … m-wage.jpg

Good post and informative P1, TY.

We are region 1 in Luzon (La Union) and the pay scales are slightly higher but what I can never work out is the difference between live in and a daily worker.

Our guy is live in and pretty switched on and generally a self starter, 2 years he has been with us and my better half set the wages and conditions, P400 per day, own A/C B/R with ensuite, internet, signal tv and we pay his PhilHealt and the 13th month Christmas pay, he has the run of the house obviously, access to the Mio to go to local basketball matches, Sari stores etc. Most of the time he is here 7 days a week as his home in the Fishermans village is noisy and no A/C.

After his first year I suggested to the better half we pay him a bit more,,,,,,, I was shouted down and told NO very bluntly, He is on a good deal I was told.

Your thoughts? Do you think we are under or over paying.

Cheers, Steve.

`

BP writes, "After his first year I suggested to the better half we pay him a bit more,,,,,,, I was shouted down and told NO very bluntly, He is on a good deal I was told.  Your thoughts?  Do you think we are under or over paying. Cheers, Steve."

Ah, tough question Steve. It might seem that according

to the chart above you may be under by a few coins

a day. But on the other hand the fringe benefits

you also offer will surely more than make up for it?

I'm guessing that he well knows he's on a good wicket and you are unlikely to be hit with legal action over it.

Saying it, a thought occurs that at the end of his time with you  guys,  especially if he leaves under any cloud it's possible he may try legal action for underpayment of wages? He would win.

So maybe your best path might be to raise his wage say

50 centavos a day to be within the legal award?  And for

under one peso / day, you're all ok and perfectly legal?

Just thoughts. You're obviously great employers. Maybe

consider covering your back from hungry lawyers also?

Cheers Steve

Hey Fred,

it's been a year since your last post. any updates? were u able to move here?

Leo

@yesyesyeow

Rumour has it the gentleman ultimately decided to take advice from his fellow Swede, Coach 53, (otherwise known as the Muppet chef) due to his extensive knowledge of the island.

He has since declared bankruptcy.

For interest, here's our original fauna and flora ridge, and rice valley, bought 3 years ago for an AirBNB farm-stay on Palawan

And here's carpenter Bro-in-law Gene on a phone break from building the AirBNB Farm-Stay accomodation, with three of the hard-wood trees growing on the property

happy trails ppl

Good post and informative P1, TY.We are region 1 in Luzon (La Union) and the pay scales are slightly higher but what I can never work out is the difference between live in and a daily worker.Our guy is live in and pretty switched on and generally a self starter, 2 years he has been with us and my better half set the wages and conditions, P400 per day, own A/C B/R with ensuite, internet, signal tv and we pay his PhilHealt and the 13th month Christmas pay, he has the run of the house obviously, access to the Mio to go to local basketball matches, Sari stores etc. Most of the time he is here 7 days a week as his home in the Fishermans village is noisy and no A/C.After his first year I suggested to the better half we pay him a bit more,,,,,,, I was shouted down and told NO very bluntly, He is on a good deal I was told.Your thoughts? Do you think we are under or over paying.Cheers, Steve. - @bigpearl

Been gone for a while, but somewhat back in the forum. I think you're generous but if your guy is doing his job and does it with integrity, I'd say don't change a thing. It is very difficult to find someone trustworthy. Very likely, your guy will not want to lose this job. I paid one young person 800 pesos to inspect my build in Manila for about less than 3 hours work, once a week. She faked reports and colluded with the builder's engineer. She is a fresh Civil Engineering graduate. I thought these kids will have integrity by now. Nada, none, zilch.

Also, I spoke with engineers in Manila when they were building my rental building, it did not seem like they are paid what the government rates show.

Welcome back Jackson4.

Appreciate what you say but I don't consider what we pay him ridiculously low, when he worked here as a simple labourer he was paid 500 per day and a supplied bed in our bunkhouse with 6/7 other dudes., large kitchen, their own bathroom, internet, lunch and morning/afternoon snacks etc.

Sure 400 per day seems low but he gets his own A/C bedroom with ensuite, TV, internet, food and comes with us when we eat out most times and enjoys the different flavours offered. We do look after him considering him as part of the family here and trustworthy he is, we can toddle off to a different country for a week or 2 and he is captain courageous/Charles in charge and we have never had a call when we are away, He just does stuff every day without the need to be told but is a bit of a hypochondriac at times, as said a thinker and self starter that is hard to find even in western countries.

I want to pay him more but Ben says no, He is the paymaster so I shut my mouth now. Maybe I should put my foot down and up his wages and golly what we pay him per month I would always get twice his monthly wage or more per day or not worth fronting up to work....... I'm working on upping his wage slowly slowly as I don't want to lose a thinker.

As for your consultant with your build? I learnt working here 15 years ago you need boots on the ground and can't be accomplished successfully from afar, hands on for control and direction. We had an electrician here over the 18 months of our build and all he wanted was 700 per day, I directed and he made it happen, even if he was here half a day we still paid him his 700 pesos, nice guy but retired now.

Sorry for the blurb.

Cheers, Steve.

Fred/Carl175,

I have similar if not the same dreams or plans as you.

I'd be retiring early in about 5 months.

I dream of a house near the ocean and a local style boat, however, I am not sure I will have the patience about sweating too much every 10 minutes. But I know I will have better quality living/existence. First 10 years, I still can walk, run, swim, and ride the scooter. Next 10 years, slower but there will plenty of affordable help. Later on, I'd be in a better place than a nursing in the US. I think your idea is great and I hope I will be able to do the same. The only downside is the cost you'd be paying upfront. You (or us not familiar with local behavior) will be paying a premium just because locals know you can afford it. At the end of the day, I think it is still a win, just my thought.

Fred/Carl175,I have similar if not the same dreams or plans as you.I'd be retiring early in about 5 months.I dream of a house near the ocean and a local style boat .. I know I will have better quality living/existence. First 10 years, I still can walk, run, swim, and ride the scooter. Next 10 years, slower but there will plenty of affordable help. Later on, I'd be in a better place than a nursing in the US. I think your idea is great and I hope I will be able to do the same. The only downside is the cost you'd be paying upfront. You (or us not familiar with local behavior) will be paying a premium just because locals know you can afford it. At the end of the day, I think it is still a win, just my thought.- @Jackson4

`

Jackson, it's certainly do-able. But you will really need a Phils partner.

Pick wisely, pick a qualified person .. why not? Two incomes are handy. 

Pick his/her fam .. lot's better if you can love them, you're part of them.

Pick your island then maybe partners online, and visit them. Good luck!

Others agree?

Happy trails people

@Palawone

Choices. Like noses we all have one.

My lowly advice is simple, eyes wide open and boots on the ground for extended periods, slow and steady wins the race.

Took me 6 years back and forward from Oz to here and in that time I spent 2 x 6 months stints working here, partner (Filipino) for 15 years and like an old married couple. It took me those 6 years to decide to retire here. A happy partner even happier we moved back here. Family etc.

No regrets but took time to get to where we are now.

Another thing all should know/remember is that PH. is not as cheap as as it once was 20/30 years ago. still cheap by most western standards but I wouldn't come here on a basic pension and hope for a great life.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

BP writes: @PalawoneChoices. Like noses we all have one..  No regrets but took time to get to where we are.  Another thing all should know/remember is that PH. is not as cheap as as it once was 20/30 years ago. still cheap by most western standards but I wouldn't come here on a basic pension and hope for a great life. OMO. Cheers, Steve. - @bigpearl

`

Yes nowdays our partners everywhere also need to have family incomes.

And, world-wide one would suggest that most two+ people families need two+ income streams living reasonably well anywhere? 

Our planet is inflating so we seek plans assisting good-life-outcomes for all our younger&older loved ones?

Happy trails, BP .. ps following the current Commonwealth Games results :-)

`

Yes P1, Aussies seem to dominate these games for some reason. I don't follow personally but see the results on the news.

Incomes? My better half also retired here by 29 Y/O but does lots of stuff on the property for us, the/our caretaker does all the stuff we don't, he is a treasure and every house should have a dude like him.

Better half has applied over the years to several BPI's, had interviews online and never hears back from them, done tests, is pretty fluent in English and these companies never say a word after interviews, disheartening for Ben but I tell him not to worry as many people are ignorant and we don't need the money. Said it many times, don't come here poor or you may have a miserable existence.

PS P1, following all the crap going down with FIFA?

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl

but I wouldn't come here on a basic pension and hope for a great life.

Many dewy eyed expats arrive in the Philippines on a good pension and end up on a basic pension unable to leave 🙄

Ain't that the truth Lotus Eater and countries matter little. As I say certainly don't expect a good life here if you are living on a basic pension or the bones of your ass. All the expats I've met over 15 years are certainly not poor, many are snow birds. Some like myself live extremely well here. Maybe I need to get out a bit more to find a down on their luck expat? In the mean time this is home and love it.

Cheers, Steve.

Carl/Fred, if you're really getting a 50 year lease, that's a steal. Who's stealing from who? Be careful what you're getting into.

Is a 50 year lease even real?

Yes Jackson, they are real but need to be set up properly, lots of thought and preparation.

I've had a long term lease for 9 years, partner owns the land, I own everything that sits on it. I also had the titled lot encumbered with the lease so it can't be sold without my or my executors sign off. Yep you do need to cover your derriere here in plenty of ways.

I looked at it this way, pay rent for a big home on the beach, restricted with what you can or can't do, no guarantee how long you can call it home.

Us, we purchased outright and set up the lease and we are in control and have the asset.

You need to crunch the numbers.

Cheers, Steve.