Considering leaving the USA to move to Philippines
tommieboy999 wrote:vetretreat wrote:tommieboy999 wrote:i live very comfortably on 600 dollars a month. of course not in the big city. my rent is 150 per month.. 300 for food.. and 50 for cable/internet.. another 100 for eating out a couple times a week.
Let's see, you live COMFORTABLY on $600 a month...Let us do a little addition:
150 Rent
300 Food
100 Eating OUT
50 Cable/Internet
600 TOTAL
That means you have FREE POWER, FREE GAS, you get your WATER from the local stream or river and use IODINE pills to treat it, You never get sick or need medication, You have no teeth so no need for a dentist, You walk or bike everywhere you go and your bike is equipped with a rack so you can load your groceries to get home, You don't drink or go to bars for entertainment, all the tricycle and jeepney drivers love you and will never charge you in case you need to go on a long trip, you hitchhike to Manila to upgrade your visa extensions and immigration is very gratuitous to you and never charge, your average day is watching cable or on the computer better known as a couch potato, of course your wife or GF has no need of extras in their life so there is no added expense for them because they are of the simpleton clan...You are content with all the above and never get bored because you have the same beautiful scenery to amuse you day in and day out...MAN AM I EVER ENVIOUS OF YOUR COMFORTABLE LIFE...Please show me the way....
I have a motorcycle.. I don't drink or smoke.. however I forgot to include my electric which has never been above 50 or 60 dollars. I don't use gas. I only have electric. water is 50 pesos (one dollar) for unlimited use.. I go to the gym which is 20 pesos per day... so, im up to 651 dollars per month. any questions smart arse?
and as far as entertainment goes my fat feathered friend... lets test your theory.
I don't need to drink myself into oblivion each day to have a good time
my expat friends and I go to the gym 4 or 5 days a week
we go swimming at the beach a few days a week
we go swimming at the falls a few days a week..
we hike up the mountain and eat fruits and drink coconut water along the way
we hang out at my friends restaurant a few days a week..
and I still have time to watch some tv at night
yes! I never spend more than 650 a month on all my expenses
read it and weep
tommieboy999 wrote:vetretreat wrote:tommieboy999 wrote:i live very comfortably on 600 dollars a month. of course not in the big city. my rent is 150 per month.. 300 for food.. and 50 for cable/internet.. another 100 for eating out a couple times a week.
Let's see, you live COMFORTABLY on $600 a month...Let us do a little addition:
150 Rent
300 Food
100 Eating OUT
50 Cable/Internet
600 TOTAL
That means you have FREE POWER, FREE GAS, you get your WATER from the local stream or river and use IODINE pills to treat it, You never get sick or need medication, You have no teeth so no need for a dentist, You walk or bike everywhere you go and your bike is equipped with a rack so you can load your groceries to get home, You don't drink or go to bars for entertainment, all the tricycle and jeepney drivers love you and will never charge you in case you need to go on a long trip, you hitchhike to Manila to upgrade your visa extensions and immigration is very gratuitous to you and never charge, your average day is watching cable or on the computer better known as a couch potato, of course your wife or GF has no need of extras in their life so there is no added expense for them because they are of the simpleton clan...You are content with all the above and never get bored because you have the same beautiful scenery to amuse you day in and day out...MAN AM I EVER ENVIOUS OF YOUR COMFORTABLE LIFE...Please show me the way....
I have a motorcycle.. I don't drink or smoke.. however I forgot to include my electric which has never been above 50 or 60 dollars. I don't use gas. I only have electric. water is 50 pesos (one dollar) for unlimited use.. I go to the gym which is 20 pesos per day... so, im up to 651 dollars per month. any questions smart arse?
Smart arse?? And you called me sensitive...LOL...You need to look in the mirror a little harder....As I said before, show me the way...I still wonder, you and your wife or GF have no need for medical, dentist, or little extra things in life for which you call being comfortable...Being from Canada and used to cooler climate I guess you enjoy being in a hot box with no A/C ever so I guess that is why your power is only $60(Philippines has the highest power prices in all of Asia)...I also guess you drink that tap water at 50 pesos a month...My tap water bill runs 100 month but my drinking water runs 500 month for four...If you don't use gas I guess you push your bike around which keeps you in shape after spending day in and day out watching TV and slamming others on your computer..
..You really must have one of the least boring lives of all the expats I have talked to with a grandiose equation of $651 a month...But it is possible to live on that and even much less if you want to maintain a bare existence in the PI like most of the natives...DON'T BE SO SENSITIVE...
Im happy for you that you are content with swimming the falls and hiking the mountains cracking coconuts and eating all the plentiful wild fruits which I myself have a hard time finding except for mangoes or lychees during the season...
Perhaps you are not as bored as I thought...
Albert Sotelo wrote:You are choosing wisely to retire in Palawan. They are going full-swing in improving everything about Palawan, making it a world class destination. I got to meet the current president of the Palawan Chamber of Commerce, and expat himself, Bart Duff. He's definitely taking no slackers along while he pushes forward. Keep watching at Palawan. There will be very reasonable accommodations mixed with higher end ones to make it a great destination for everyone. Whether for a quick visit or a retirement destination, this city is my top contender for the future best destination in Asia, better than Bali and others.
Which city on Palawan are you referring to Albert???
Let me just remind you and the rest of the expats: the requirements for all of us to file the FBAR and 1040 and other pertinent IRS/FTB requirements. FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance ACT) has now been implemented in all Financial Institutions in the Philippines starting July 2014). I will post more details later...
Pinaymentor
MIGHTYLAR wrote:I was talking about Puerto Princesa. I have a feeling Albert was also. It is the largest city in Palawan. Well, it is , if the Chinese don't decide to bomb it.
Yes, I was referring to Palawan's capital, Puerto Princessa City. In the works is a better healthcare facility which is a major aspect of Puerto Princessa's push for global attractiveness.
As for China, I am sure they would rather waste their efforts on a more populated target like Manila or Cebu.
Ponani wrote:Sorry to hear so much building, etc. going on there. It will take away much of the charm for me.
Same here. It has happened in Boracay and also Tagaytay.
The first time I went to Boracay around late 1990's with my siblings and parents, I really had a super great time. We had to sleep in bamboo huts with just a fan and mosquito nets at night, The clean and cool sea breeze was very relaxing. There were no restaurants. Very few tourists. The locals who were very friendly cooked for us freshly caught seafood which we bought from local fishermen. The sand was powdery white. The beach was clean with no algae. Probably one of the best vacations I've ever had.
My American husband and I went to Boracay in 2005 and things were very much different. Restaurants lined up the shore. There was so much development. The beach was overcrowded. There were lots of foreigners with prostitutes (and with my husband with me in my pre-maternity body, I was not surprised if I was mistaken for one) At the beachfront resort we stayed in, we had a pedophile as a neighbor with a young boy, probably age 14 or younger, who looked very upset after a night at the room he shared with male foreigner, probably he didn't know what was going to happen to him when he was handed over to that disgusting man. I reported this to the front desk, but they just ignored me, saying that the boy probably looked young for his age. Awww, c'mon.
The beach was littered with algae. What used to be "pucca shell beach, which used to be filled with tiny sea shells, is now know as simply pucca beach, because all the shells are gone. On our boat ride back to the airport, our boat picked up another foreigner with a young Filipina, probably age 14, who was made to look older by styling her hair with cornrows,, and making her wear 5 inch platforms and henna tattoo. It was the worst vacation ever. It was so sickening, such that when we came back to Manila, I had a fever, stomach ache and was throwing up. I got so sick, either from what I had seen or from the pollution from the beach.
I remembered back in 2003 when my husband and I got married in Tagaytay, the winds were stronger, the air cleaner, and we saw a beautiful view of Taal Lake. Now, at the same time of the year then, the winds were not as strong, the air was warmer, there are now rows of condos here and here. And I heard that condos and resorts will be built near the late in the near future.
Now, Palawan might suffer the same fate. It's sad. The charm of these places are lost, at least for me.
vetretreat wrote:tommieboy999 wrote:vetretreat wrote:
Let's see, you live COMFORTABLY on $600 a month...Let us do a little addition:
150 Rent
300 Food
100 Eating OUT
50 Cable/Internet
600 TOTAL
That means you have FREE POWER, FREE GAS, you get your WATER from the local stream or river and use IODINE pills to treat it, You never get sick or need medication, You have no teeth so no need for a dentist, You walk or bike everywhere you go and your bike is equipped with a rack so you can load your groceries to get home, You don't drink or go to bars for entertainment, all the tricycle and jeepney drivers love you and will never charge you in case you need to go on a long trip, you hitchhike to Manila to upgrade your visa extensions and immigration is very gratuitous to you and never charge, your average day is watching cable or on the computer better known as a couch potato, of course your wife or GF has no need of extras in their life so there is no added expense for them because they are of the simpleton clan...You are content with all the above and never get bored because you have the same beautiful scenery to amuse you day in and day out...MAN AM I EVER ENVIOUS OF YOUR COMFORTABLE LIFE...Please show me the way....
I have a motorcycle.. I don't drink or smoke.. however I forgot to include my electric which has never been above 50 or 60 dollars. I don't use gas. I only have electric. water is 50 pesos (one dollar) for unlimited use.. I go to the gym which is 20 pesos per day... so, im up to 651 dollars per month. any questions smart arse?
Smart arse?? And you called me sensitive...LOL...You need to look in the mirror a little harder....As I said before, show me the way...I still wonder, you and your wife or GF have no need for medical, dentist, or little extra things in life for which you call being comfortable...Being from Canada and used to cooler climate I guess you enjoy being in a hot box with no A/C ever so I guess that is why your power is only $60(Philippines has the highest power prices in all of Asia)...I also guess you drink that tap water at 50 pesos a month...My tap water bill runs 100 month but my drinking water runs 500 month for four...If you don't use gas I guess you push your bike around which keeps you in shape after spending day in and day out watching TV and slamming others on your computer....You really must have one of the least boring lives of all the expats I have talked to with a grandiose equation of $651 a month...But it is possible to live on that and even much less if you want to maintain a bare existence in the PI like most of the natives...DON'T BE SO SENSITIVE...
i thought your talking about gas for cooking. yes I use maybe 100 pesos per week for petrol
the tap water in camiguin is the best in the Philippines, many expats here drink the tap water however I pay 100 peso for 4 bottles and it lasts me the entire month and sometimes 5 weeks.
as far as medical, I have never had to go to the doctor yet.. but the money I save living here will make my first visit much easier
my friends and I have recently built a small boat which we use to fish a couple times a week.. so, no need to buy fish anymore. my vege garden and fruit trees help also .. theres nothing like living on what god created.. my good friend has a website and he can help you get started growing your own food. he is a graduate of texas a&m and he has been a professional horticulturist for many years. add him on facebook and he will gladly answer all your questions about gardening in the Philippines. James Musslewhite. Peace
tommieboy999 wrote:vetretreat wrote:tommieboy999 wrote:
I have a motorcycle.. I don't drink or smoke.. however I forgot to include my electric which has never been above 50 or 60 dollars. I don't use gas. I only have electric. water is 50 pesos (one dollar) for unlimited use.. I go to the gym which is 20 pesos per day... so, im up to 651 dollars per month. any questions smart arse?
Smart arse?? And you called me sensitive...LOL...You need to look in the mirror a little harder....As I said before, show me the way...I still wonder, you and your wife or GF have no need for medical, dentist, or little extra things in life for which you call being comfortable...Being from Canada and used to cooler climate I guess you enjoy being in a hot box with no A/C ever so I guess that is why your power is only $60(Philippines has the highest power prices in all of Asia)...I also guess you drink that tap water at 50 pesos a month...My tap water bill runs 100 month but my drinking water runs 500 month for four...If you don't use gas I guess you push your bike around which keeps you in shape after spending day in and day out watching TV and slamming others on your computer....You really must have one of the least boring lives of all the expats I have talked to with a grandiose equation of $651 a month...But it is possible to live on that and even much less if you want to maintain a bare existence in the PI like most of the natives...DON'T BE SO SENSITIVE...
i thought your talking about gas for cooking. yes I use maybe 100 pesos per week for petrol
the tap water in camiguin is the best in the Philippines, many expats here drink the tap water however I pay 100 peso for 4 bottles and it lasts me the entire month and sometimes 5 weeks.
as far as medical, I have never had to go to the doctor yet.. but the money I save living here will make my first visit much easier
my friends and I have recently built a small boat which we use to fish a couple times a week.. so, no need to buy fish anymore. my vege garden and fruit trees help also .. theres nothing like living on what god created.. my good friend has a website and he can help you get started growing your own food. he is a graduate of texas a&m and he has been a professional horticulturist for many years. add him on facebook and he will gladly answer all your questions about gardening in the Philippines. James Musslewhite. Peace
If you drink the tap water and perhaps it may be the best when it leaves the source, but keep in mind it normally fills a water tank on top the roof of the house or condos you live in and those tanks are often contaminated with bacteria, roaches, etc...I personally would never drink the water coming down from those tanks; that is why it is recommended only to drink purified water which filters all bacteria and chlorine which almost all public water sources in the Philippines has...Chlorine consumed daily is a known cause of some types of cancer...
mugtech wrote:Just noticed Royal Caribbean has a new 10 day cruise out of Hong Kong in Oct/Nov 2015 that will be stopping in Manila, Boracay (tender, not docked) and Puerto Princesa on the way to Singapore. This could help explain the "improvements" taking place.
That's right! Thanks for adding this bit of information. Puerto Princesa will be a stop to the Royal Caribbean cruise ships soon. A hotelier contact of mine confirmed this plans last year when I was conducting a business study for them here in Baguio City.
Twistedfisher wrote:I've spent the last three winters in Katipunan, near Dipolog . Zamboanga del Norte, Mindanao. Summers in Alaska. I live very comfortable with a gf on $1100 a month Social Security and I am on the beach!
Same as myself...right on the water with a garage with living expense of $1100 month..
How about adding an Excel graph that would have approximated key economic indicators per household of each contributor (voluntarily) such or similar to the headings below. It could be expanded further if we have further interest.
CITY/BARANGAY Persons per household ELECTRICITY GAS WATER GASOLINE FOOD HOTELrates
On the CITY/BARANGAY, we could indicate how far our location is from the central business district.
If electricity or natural gas is in use, how much is the per month expenditure?
Gasoline for vehicles. Maybe a better way is to indicate what general type of vehicle and or transportation is used. Public transportation? OWN?
Water consumption could be split up with mineral water, city water or well water.
Food could mean general groceries (including cleaning supplies and personal stuff).
I put hotel rates and/or accommodations in the area considering that one has to visit first to investigate a city before moving.
We might get some volunteers that might want to share a little bit more details, too.
What do you think?
Thanks for your suggestion that we are noting down.
Meanwhile maybe you could start a new thread that we would stick on the forum and allow other members to update.
Regards
Armand
Expat.com Team
PERIOD.
If not you just might be buying a ticket to he77.... ALL depends on you and what you like and can tolerate....
P. S.
You can't get a ticket to heaven on American airlines. Wherever you go, there you are. So your problems sually follow you

jwillwon3 wrote:OH I SEE THIS WAS 2014, SO 3 YRS LATER WHAT HAPPENED ? DID YOU MOVE TO THE PHILIPPINES ????
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=191087
Make sure to write correctly and clearly on the forum so that everyone can understand: avoid cap locks and SMS language.

Reason : Please refer only to the housing section. Thank you
We invite you to read the forum code of conduct
Make your relocation easier with the Philippines expat guide

Accommodation in Manila
There are lots of renting options to choose from when relocating to Manila. Most expats in the Philippines live in ...

Developing your social circle in Manila
When moving to a new city, invariably, the friends you meet and cultivate first will make the most impact and can ...

Lifestyle in the Philippines
About to move to the Philippines? Wondering how you're going to adapt to your new environment and lifestyle? ...

Traveling to the Philippines with your pet
Pets, particularly cats and dogs, are often considered as family members. So if you are moving to the Philippines, ...

Sports in Manila
With the hustle and bustle of city life, keeping an active lifestyle becomes more and more tricky. Manila offers a ...

Internship in the Philippines
Nowadays, globalization has a particular meaning for young professionals who are about to complete their higher ...

Study in the Philippines
The Philippines stands as an enchanting archipelago boasting a rich cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, ...

Obtaining a Philippines driving licence
Whether you are converting your existing foreign driving license or applying as a first-timer for a Philippines ...
Forum topics on living in the Philippines
Essential services for your expat journey



