Best cities for retirement in the Philippines

I'm seeking the same information. I'm planning to move to the Philippines several years from now (5 years to be exact)

Hello Bhavna
How long is a piece of string ???   Each and everyone on this forum has their own reasons for settling in the Philippines, mine and quite a few others is because we are married to Filipinos and they normally choose to stay close to existing family, not necessarily the best places to retire. What you seek determines you destination, beaches, city life, closeness to amenities, peaceful rural settings etc.  Define your goals then ask for input in that particular area.  Happy hunting.
regards  Bruce

Well its pretty hard to get a good feel for a place from internet research so some tips from expat residents are often the go. I have lived in Vietnam, now back in NZ, and thinking about retirement somewhere the living is cheap (my pension will be around $1000 a month plus I have around $30k in the bank). Single, looking for good beaches, some nightlife, nothing too hectic but definitely in the hostess bar range, decent 2 bedroom apartment but nothing fancy. Do my own cooking, cleaning, laundry (lived on my own in Saigon for 4 years). Only ever been to manila and thinking about Batangas.  Bit of a biker so motorbike is essential.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

hdgh29 wrote:

(lived on my own in Saigon for 4 years). Only ever been to manila and thinking about Batangas.  Bit of a biker so motorbike is essential.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

Traffic in Manila is worse than Saigon, many more trucks and buses, same amount of two wheelers.  You might want to spend at least a month there, even Batangas, to get a feel for it, see if you can breathe the air etc.

hdgh29 wrote:

Well its pretty hard to get a good feel for a place from internet research so some tips from expat residents are often the go. I have lived in Vietnam, now back in NZ, and thinking about retirement somewhere the living is cheap (my pension will be around $1000 a month plus I have around $30k in the bank). Single, looking for good beaches, some nightlife, nothing too hectic but definitely in the hostess bar range, decent 2 bedroom apartment but nothing fancy. Do my own cooking, cleaning, laundry (lived on my own in Saigon for 4 years). Only ever been to manila and thinking about Batangas.  Bit of a biker so motorbike is essential.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

Hostess bar range?  Not many areas in the Philippines that I would consider places like that.  Outside of Manila there would be Angeles City, Cebu City and maybe Puerto Galera that come to mind.  If that is $1000 NZ living in those places may be a struggle as $1000 NZ is about 34k PHP.

Good grief. . . . . . Expats staying more than six months have to pay a fee just to leave the country. The biggest mistake you can make is marrying your first wife, close second is moving to the Philippines. All those travelogs you see of beautiful beaches, blue water is not close to reality. Go to You Tube and see what it's really like.

Vacation spots are beautiful, where you live will not meet those expectations unless you are wealthy. If you are wealthy you wouldn't choose the Philippines. Thinking you can live like a King for hardly nothing is a myth.

I'm an American and have lived in the Philippines about 4 years. I have lived in Baguio city, La Union Province and on the popular tourist island of Boracay. Each has its own attractiveness and it just depends what you're looking for. Baguio City is the summer capital and city of Pines. The temperature is about 10-15 degrees cooler than the lowlands like Manila and the primary culture of igorots is very friendly, especially to Americans since they settled in the Cordilleran mountains after the Spanish-American war. American country music is huge here and you can hear locals playing it regularly. La Union which is down the mountain from Baguio has beaches and San Juan is the surf capital. Lots of expats living here and there is an expat billiard league which I enjoyed as we played at different resorts in the Bauang and Paringao area every Thursday. Our league consists of mostly Americans, British & Aussies with some other Europeans as well. Good times and parties. Quite competitive and some really serious pool 🎱 players. Boracay is the popular tourist island 🌴 where I currently reside. An abundance of white sand beaches, high end resorts and worldwide tourists coming and going. More expensive to live but worth it if you love beaches and a vibrant night life. Palawan island is also very nice and Cebu is a popular area for expats. The cons are that cellular service, WiFi, internet and cable are a hit & miss with regular brownouts occurring almost everywhere. In Baguio and La Union you can live comfortably on $1,000 to $1200 USD per month. Boracay is a little higher but still under $1500. It just depends on your lifestyle. I love the Philippines and the locals have always been very friendly to me. Hope this helps!

I'm living ok in Butuan city on about $4000 USD a month. It is a bit boring and good food is sometimes a challenge but I am in a large comfy home in safe gated community and it is relatively quiet.

After having lived, travelled and even worked in the Philippines over the course of 12 years, let me share what has been my experience...?
When still living in Manila from 2005-2008, I decided to look for the most attractive city in the Philippines, and on different bikes launched out on 3 super long bike journeys and several shorter ones either alone, with a gf backrider, or in a group.

In this order, I discovered, at THAT time, what I thought matched what I was looking for in terms of beauty, size, amenities, beaches and mountains, and, as a foodie, restaurants (not bars), and not too many expats (we create inflation and more crowded roads):
1. Dumaguete - easily the most beautiful setting in the Phils with all the other things very much in place
2. Ormoc - although smaller, very nice with potential to grow into more
3. Legaspi - not far from the coast and volcanoes, neat restaurants strip and not too big
4. Lipa - not near the sea, cleaner than most cities with some amenities
5. San Fernando (La Union) - some surfable beaches and decent amenities among the German resorts.
After 4 years of exploration, that was pretty well it. Pretty well all pinoy communities suffer from lack of planning and are just about as ugly as the 3rd world gets.
But to be honest, after Duma, it was a fairly sharp drop! Been to Davao, their summer island, and neighbouring smaller centres (CdO, GenSan, Butuan. Surigao and others), but just no zing. Been to Zamboanga, Dipolog, Pagadian, Digos, but same. Travelled to all the major islands by hopping, and aside from a few isolated tourist beach communities, just didn't have decent cities or even town centres (for me): PoP (Palawan), Mindoro, Panay, Leyte, Samar, other parts of Negros, Bohol. Been to many smaller islands but just nothing to attract me outside of tourist spots. Cebu is only a smaller Manila, and approaching its chaotic messy filth. Some lovely beach spots up and down the coasts of many islands but inflationary prices on land now has been driven up by 'us,' westerners with money, and the greed among the locals is palpable. Been to remote areas of Mindanao (Bukidnon, etc.) and Luzon (beautiful Cagayan valley, etc.) as had 3 piggeries with families in the provinces, but little to cause me interest for living.

So I returned to Dumaguete and lived there for 7 years. It was just lovely, but to me no longer is. The infrastructure' is sadly lacking and so traffic lock frequent, hotels and resorts leave much to be desired, restaurants were better but now lack much with prices and quality having gone down substantially, but there are a number of decent expat living compounds to live in that helps insulate one from noise, smoke and burglaries (if the owner is in good with the barangay and friends). A LOT of westerners now call Duma home or their back and forth winter retreat, but in my opinion there now are far too many of us. And more are arriving from remote towns in Canada and elsewhere. The news is out, and when we replicate what we have had at home, whew!

Now married to a lovely pinay with a small shop and living in Iloilo, we are in decent shape but living here will always be a challenge. Ask me why if you want...

As for the women here, there are many really lovely younger women seeking an honest, faithful steady man who has the resources to keep her, but takes some doing to get a 'good' one. If you, in turn, are a 'good-hearted' man, she will likely show up because you are looking in the right places. We know a lot of expats with lovely wives, and also quite a few good wives with dog husbands, and situations where both are simply bad news with some kind of disaster around the corner. Depending on where you search, you will get, but likely take some patience. I think overall filipinas are still better than most thais (mostly Isaan (sp) women), and in their conservative ways will treat their man like king even if the crown is actually on her head (hehe). If you 'fish'  in Angeles, Ermita/Malate, Borocay, Lapu-Lapu, you will increase your chances of getting bad news...
Oh yes, if you get a good one, please be faithful? If you don't, chances increase that you can be harmed by family in some potentially lawless way(s). If you are and treat everyone with respect, odds in your favour. And keep your wallet close to your chest: there are times to be moderately generous, but most just keep a low profile and live humbly. Showing it off just invites all kinds of spin-offs that can be very costly...

Want to know more from my perspective? Ask away... For what this lacks, cut me some slack?

Bruce

daenr wrote:

After having lived, travelled and even worked in the Philippines over the course of 12 years, let me share what has been my experience...?
When still living in Manila from 2005-2008, I decided to look for the most attractive city in the Philippines, and on different bikes launched out on 3 super long bike journeys and several shorter ones either alone, with a gf backrider, or in a group.

In this order, I discovered, at THAT time, what I thought matched what I was looking for in terms of beauty, size, amenities, beaches and mountains, and, as a foodie, restaurants (not bars), and not too many expats (we create inflation and more crowded roads):
1. Dumaguete - easily the most beautiful setting in the Phils with all the other things very much in place
2. Ormoc - although smaller, very nice with potential to grow into more
3. Legaspi - not far from the coast and volcanoes, neat restaurants strip and not too big
4. Lipa - not near the sea, cleaner than most cities with some amenities
5. San Fernando (La Union) - some surfable beaches and decent amenities among the German resorts.
After 4 years of exploration, that was pretty well it. Pretty well all pinoy communities suffer from lack of planning and are just about as ugly as the 3rd world gets.
But to be honest, after Duma, it was a fairly sharp drop! Been to Davao, their summer island, and neighbouring smaller centres (CdO, GenSan, Butuan. Surigao and others), but just no zing. Been to Zamboanga, Dipolog, Pagadian, Digos, but same. Travelled to all the major islands by hopping, and aside from a few isolated tourist beach communities, just didn't have decent cities or even town centres (for me): PoP (Palawan), Mindoro, Panay, Leyte, Samar, other parts of Negros, Bohol. Been to many smaller islands but just nothing to attract me outside of tourist spots. Cebu is only a smaller Manila, and approaching its chaotic messy filth. Some lovely beach spots up and down the coasts of many islands but inflationary prices on land now has been driven up by 'us,' westerners with money, and the greed among the locals is palpable. Been to remote areas of Mindanao (Bukidnon, etc.) and Luzon (beautiful Cagayan valley, etc.) as had 3 piggeries with families in the provinces, but little to cause me interest for living.

So I returned to Dumaguete and lived there for 7 years. It was just lovely, but to me no longer is. The infrastructure' is sadly lacking and so traffic lock frequent, hotels and resorts leave much to be desired, restaurants were better but now lack much with prices and quality having gone down substantially, but there are a number of decent expat living compounds to live in that helps insulate one from noise, smoke and burglaries (if the owner is in good with the barangay and friends). A LOT of westerners now call Duma home or their back and forth winter retreat, but in my opinion there now are far too many of us. And more are arriving from remote towns in Canada and elsewhere. The news is out, and when we replicate what we have had at home, whew!

Now married to a lovely pinay with a small shop and living in Iloilo, we are in decent shape but living here will always be a challenge. Ask me why if you want...

As for the women here, there are many really lovely younger women seeking an honest, faithful steady man who has the resources to keep her, but takes some doing to get a 'good' one. If you, in turn, are a 'good-hearted' man, she will likely show up because you are looking in the right places. We know a lot of expats with lovely wives, and also quite a few good wives with dog husbands, and situations where both are simply bad news with some kind of disaster around the corner. Depending on where you search, you will get, but likely take some patience. I think overall filipinas are still better than most thais (mostly Isaan (sp) women), and in their conservative ways will treat their man like king even if the crown is actually on her head (hehe). If you 'fish'  in Angeles, Ermita/Malate, Borocay, Lapu-Lapu, you will increase your chances of getting bad news...
Oh yes, if you get a good one, please be faithful? If you don't, chances increase that you can be harmed by family in some potentially lawless way(s). If you are and treat everyone with respect, odds in your favour. And keep your wallet close to your chest: there are times to be moderately generous, but most just keep a low profile and live humbly. Showing it off just invites all kinds of spin-offs that can be very costly...

Want to know more from my perspective? Ask away... For what this lacks, cut me some slack?

Bruce

Great post Bruce, thank you.

Yes, very informative post.. thanks. I would simply add that ALL of Southeast Asia is getting more crowded now, and it's not just us Westerners. The Philippines, and Cebu in particular is also a destination for many Koreans, Chinese and Japanese, for various reasons (business opportunity, tourism, English studies, BPO, climate, etc).  It is still a beautiful country outside the major cities but within them the overcrowding is evident.

The Philippines in general is overpopulated, straining resources in the cities where people go to work. This is evident in the crumbling infrastructure, packed schools, pollution,  and general poverty, which stubbornly remains at 25%.  There is an emerging middle class, but of course most of them want to own a car (or SUV) and often live in a subdivision, putting further strain on infrastructure - water supplies, electric grid, roadways, etc. 

There are still many beautiful areas but for a relaxed retirement I would focus on mid-sized cities outside the major population centers.

I agree with peg1111 Bruce, great info and interesting to see how and why you searched out your final destination.
For us we lived in Manila for 12 months and never again, over the years like most I have traveled around in PH. and found some beautiful spots as well as plenty of dives. For many including us family plays an important part in choosing a destination, not too close but commutable by car or bike for us, long winded and painful in a jeepney and tricycles for the 5,000 relatives, lol.

We looked at San Juan La Union for some years and watched as the prices rose and the tourists flocked in, became too expensive and too busy though great to visit we shied away and looked further afield eventually finding and buying a great beachfront property in Tammocalao Bacnotan some years ago and have recently moved in.
Very quiet area, large blocks, big houses and seems very safe and secure though not a gated community. We hear next doors rooster in the morning from time to time but rare to hear karaoke and if we do it's distant. Great spot and we love it, the pros: Quiet, private, very few people on the beach (apart from holy week) the neighbours seem good and though mostly foreigners tend to keep to themselves as we do, water refilling station and mini mart 2 kilometres away, wet and night markets, Puregold (Bacnotan) 4 kilometres, relatively clean, little pollution, very good hospital 25 mins away. The weekly garbage collection costs 5 pesos per week and we can put extra in the local holding station as desired. (plenty)
Cons: 30 plus minutes drive to the local malls if you desire that sort of thing, new Robinsons mall being built as well, (San Fernando City) 5 to 6 hours drive to Manila airport, difficult to secure decent tradesmen and materials (though learning), the power goes out once to twice a week, the internet (globe at home) is lightening quick and reliable up to 7 am then fades to a crawl as the day goes on until the early evening. Very hot/humid but it is summer. The termites are a pain in the derriere and the previous owner did nothing about them, catch up time though not expensive takes time and vigilance. They seem to love Australian furniture but we wised up very quickly.

Tammocalao, around 1,300 people.
Bacnotan, around 43,000 people
San Fernando City around 125,000 people

So by no means cities but very liveable and most things can be sourced and purchased locally. We could live reasonably well on AU. 2K per month but budget for 3K and save the balance for other thing, we do own the property so no rent and only PHP 2K in taxes/rates annually.
This was our choice and to date very happy but may not be for singles, families with children etc.

Cheers, Steve.

Great posts Bruce and Steve!!! Cebu it is for me, at least for now. Has everything close by even though it may take a while depending upon the time of day to get there due to traffic. I'm never in too much of a hurry anyway so, it's really not that big of a hassle. I just relax in an A/C Grab and leave the traffic to them. Between grab food, Food Panda and Landers delivery, food is never an issue. Internet is pretty solid for me here, power is pretty steady and this building has a whole building generator for the occasion that it does go down.
Noise can be a bit of an issue sometimes. Loud motorcycles for the most part but, I'm learning to ignore it. Roosters don't even phase me anymore. Haha
I hear karaoke on occasion but, it's usually few and far between, thank God.
All in all, I enjoy living here in Cebu. Enough variety here to keep me content and the negatives really aren't anything that I can't overcome.

Have to admit Tim that I have never been to Cebu and judging what I have read won't be on my bucket list, perhaps no different to Manila, though suitable for some is not where I want to be. A quiet life in the backwater province suits to date and like you can deal with the idiosyncrasies of where we chose to live. We have a car and a bike to get around as it's 600 metres to the Luna road where there are tricycles and the occasional jeepney though I gave up on those modes of transport some years ago do at times jump in a tricycle when at Mum and Dad's place in Banks as parking in SFC is horrendous to say the least, probably no different to Manila or Cebu,,,,,,, go with the flow.
BTW thanks for your perspective.

Cheers, Steve.

Well I would point out that Cebu is different than Manila, other than they are both large, congested cities at the center of their respective regions.  Cebu is the largest city in the Visayas region, and while the Cebu metro area is large, at 3M people it is nothing compared to Manila, which is a megacity with 15M people. It is still a manageable size for visitors or residents although the infrastructure is definitely hitting it's limits and it appears to get less funding than the Manila region for improvements.

It is important to note that while the Philippines is one country, it is made up of three distinct geographical regions from north to south, with many cultural, ethnic and language variations. These regions were colonized by different ancient kingdoms and civilizations (Tondo, Javanese, Malay, etc) and the Spanish came first to the Visayas, the middle geographical region.

The island of Cebu and the city itself is the gateway to the other islands and cities in the region, many with their own regional foods, dialects, culture and festivals.  There is a strong Spanish influence throughout the Visayas, reflected not only in the beautiful people but many Spanish "loan words" blended into the Cebuano language. There are also many different geographical formations and sights to experience on these different islands.

There is a lot to do and explore here for those who want to experience all of the Philippines, the people are wonderful, and the many islands are connected by small plane, ferry service and/or native craft.

Are there any particular towns in the Visayas, beach sort of place, where an expat could settle down and live on his pension of around $1000 a month,  assuming single and just wanting a quiet simple life?

hdgh29 wrote:

Are there any particular towns in the Visayas, beach sort of place, where an expat could settle down and live on his pension of around $1000 a month,  assuming single and just wanting a quiet simple life?

Hi hdgh, you could probably do it but I think you would have a pretty miserable existence especially as you mentioned "hostess bars" in an earlier post. As another contributor mentioned that is only PHP 34K. think rent etc. do a budget based on contributions from other members as well as going to:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/

We crunched the numbers for years, we drink, smoke, run a car and bike, internet, 2 phones, food, etc. etc. no bars, we own our house so no rent and we live pretty well but not excessive by any means and our budget is PHP 70K per month but we draw PHP 105K per month and save the balance for other things,,,,,, holidays, unforeseen issues.

The Philippines is not as cheap as many think even eating the local dishes/cooking. Many move/retire here for family reasons and yes can be much cheaper than living in a western country but there are frustrations involved with living here as you will pick up reading many posts. Consider Philhealth, that will cost you PHP 1,400 per month for very basic medical cover. Do a budget as you only know what you need, as for renting a 2 bed basic accommodation could be 5 to 30K per month depending on where you wish to reside.
Many westerners live on US 600 to 1,000 per month from what I have read but I can not do it, perhaps you can, good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers, Steve.

You are probably correct since you have the boots on the ground experience.  I was going by my time in HCMC about 2 years ago. I used to send most of my salary home to my wife and I lived comfortably on $1000 a month. I never ate out (been in hospitality 30 years, couldn't be bothered), cooked my own food  cleaned my own apartment and clothes,  (had a studio in D3 for 300 a month),  had the occasional beer in the downtown bars with other expats or a bar girl, ran a motorbike, don't smoke. After working with the public so long I am happy to be alone , do the odd bit of traveling around. If Php is more expensive than Vietnam I would be surprised though...

Oh also by the current rate, usd 1000 is around php 52000.

hdgh29 wrote:

Oh also by the current rate, usd 1000 is around php 52000.

Sorry hd, I'm assuming your pension is NZ based as that's your current flag on your profile, if it's a US pension then you are in a better position and as a single dude based on what you say you like to do then probably doable but If you have never been to PH then it's a good idea to go there and taste the dirt. Enjoy.

Cheers, Steve.

hdgh29 wrote:

Oh also by the current rate, usd 1000 is around php 52000.

BTW do go to Numbeo and compare HCMC and your chosen destination in Visayas and you will get an idea of the cost differences to make a better decision and though Numbeo is sometimes not accurate with some things on the whole gives a pretty good average.

Cheers, Steve.

Yeah the NZ pension,  single rate, is around $400 a week,  which equates to around 1000 usd per month. Pretty generous I guess, but then in NZ that barely covers rent on a small 2 bedroom place, so now my wife is my ex wife I am looking for somewhere I can live on my own terms. Preferably hot. With cheap beer. See, i am easily pleased!

hdgh29 wrote:

Yeah the NZ pension,  single rate, is around $400 a week,  which equates to around 1000 usd per month. Pretty generous I guess, but then in NZ that barely covers rent on a small 2 bedroom place, so now my wife is my ex wife I am looking for somewhere I can live on my own terms. Preferably hot. With cheap beer. See, i am easily pleased!

Philippines is not a cheap country to live if you want the same standards as NZ in regards to accommodation and infrastructure. 


I live a comfortable life for around $600 AUD PW that is without flights back to Aust or any where else for that mater.

No mate I am not worried about losing NZ lifestyle.  I spent 6 years working in the M.E (saudi and Qatar) and all up about 7 years in SE Asia and I always adapted to the local lifestyle.  Except for a 6 month stint in Yangon...didn't like that at all. I am looking for a beach, a motorbike, a small apartment,  and occasional company. I reckon I am good for another 15 years, so I just want to relax.

I honestly don't know how people live on $600-$1K a month. I certainly couldn't do it, at least not comfortably. I lived comfortably in the US and had/have no plans to alter that lifestyle to live elsewhere. Honestly, the only thing that I see as being cheaper is labor and cigarettes. Alcohol is also cheaper, if you're cool with local alcohol. I'm not. Haha
I don't employ anyone or use labor for anything so I really get no benefit from it being cheaper. I tend to eat mostly western foods so, that isn't any cheaper and in a lot of cases, it's more. Any electronics that you need are definitely more expensive then where I'm from. Pretty much anything not produced locally, will cost more then you could get it at home.
Of course, I could live in a province with limited power/internet or further from the city center to save cash but, that's not for me.
Sure, I can ride a jeepney instead of chilling in an A/C Grab. Again, nope.
I could eat local food and I do enjoy some dishes albeit, limited so, that's mostly a no for me.

Also, the published 52 to 1 conversion rate, I rarely see. I don't see it in Xoom, Western Union, ATM withdrawals, etc.
Maybe I am missing something somewhere. In fact, my latest Xoom transfer yesterday was about 49.89 to 1. The one that I did on the 24th of June was 50.04 - 1. Add to that Xoom add another $4+ transaction fee.
For tourists, there's another $30+ a month for Visa's and the $50 for an ACR after 59 days.

I spend close to double what Steve's draw is but I am renting a 2bdrm 80sq meter condo not far from Ayala, we eat out often, or rather have delivered often, fiber internet, 2 local cells, an international cell, cigs, alcohol although I just quit drinking and we mostly take taxi's everywhere.
I also have worldwide health coverage that runs me $300 a month. I may explore PhilHealth but that would be in addition to my current insurance, not a replacement for. PhilHealth would basically be a supplement and unless you have cash socked away for an emergency, I wouldn't rely on it for anything major. For foreigners, it doesn't cover what I would consider major things anyway.

Please don't take this as a gripe, it isn't one. Just laying it out from my own perspective. I enjoy life here very much but, for those who think it's much cheaper then home and in some cases it may be, for me however, it isn't.  It also may not be for those who want to maintain the lifestyle that they are accustomed to back home.

I agree. The attraction of places I have lived like Hanoi, HCM, Riyadh and Vientiane is the difference against where I come from. I always remember my first time in Hanoi in 97. I woke up in a guesthouse in the French quarter near the cathedral  (old city), went out onto the street with all the locals, fell in love with the place immediately. But it's no place to retire,  too many people,  too crowded  same w Saigon.  If I wanted a NZ lifestyle I would  stay home...why travel?

Well Tim, and thanks for your perspective, there appears to be plenty of expats living on under US 1K according to this and other sites.
We, myself included have gone a little off topic as it's about the best cities to live in the Philippines and not about budgets/how one can afford to live in their chosen destination.
My two bobs worth would be Makati or the fort Taguig or greenbelt zones but as a country boy and hating traffic (no getting away from that no matter where you live), the filthy sooty pollution those are now my last choices and as said family also comes into the equation lol and then some.
The old adage "home is where you find it" and as long as one is happy whether a city or backwater province (not city) we all make our beds and are adults.

BTW Tim I can spend what you spend but hold the reigns when it comes to blowing dollars.
I grew up in Melbourne Australia for 20 years and though nice to visit and have a blast would be the last I would retire to, Sydney and Brisbane the same. As said a country boy at heart and cities do little for me, others love them.

Cheers, Steve.

hdgh29 wrote:

I agree. The attraction of places I have lived like Hanoi, HCM, Riyadh and Vientiane is the difference against where I come from. I always remember my first time in Hanoi in 97. I woke up in a guesthouse in the French quarter near the cathedral  (old city), went out onto the street with all the locals, fell in love with the place immediately. But it's no place to retire,  too many people,  too crowded  same w Saigon.  If I wanted a NZ lifestyle I would  stay home...why travel?

Can I ask hd if you have ever been to the Philippines? Savoured the flavours and licked the dirt? If not then best to jump on your funk and wagnel and see for yourself. I have traveled extensively including Asian countries, NZ and Oz are the best countries in the world to live,,,,,,, google it.
Again off topic but I met my better half 8 years ago in PH and now we are there, though hot and frustrating is where I want to be. As a single man I would stay in Oz, Italy my second choice and then the south of France, definitely not any asian countries. As they say love conquers all.

Cheers Steve.

Sort of been..I worked for a large company in Riyadh that employed Filipino 'guest workers', and on three occasions I went to Manila to interview and hire, through agencies. So been to Malate (the Adriatico...haha), stayed in Makati near Robinsons Mall, spent a sweaty afternoon wandering Intramuros, so all up less than 2 weeks. Not enough to get a feel for the place. The OP was about best places to retire, and as I said before,all I want is a beach, a motorbike, cold beer, the occasional warm girl, and somewhere to lay my head. I get the idea most of you guys have families etc, I got no-one, which immediately makes the budget balance a little better. I am happy on my own - my best mates are dead or in different parts of the world - I paint, write, and ride, and thats all I need.

Well I hope this is not too off-topic, but I want to respond to hdgh, since the thread applies to retirement places. Speaking just about the Visayas, I'm certain you can do it on a grand if you stay out of Cebu City and the metro area. As others have mentioned, it can be expensive living a western lifestyle here (I do, and it is), but if your needs are simple it dramatically lowers the cost.

First consider Moalboal on the west side of Cebu. It's a diving focused place, lots of expats and some good bars. Nice beaches in addition to the reefs. But still a simple area overall. It might be pushing your budget but worth a look. 3-4 hour drive to Cebu City.

I would also look at Bantayan Island in the northwest of Cebu. Again, 3-4 hours drive from Cebu City. Bantayan island (reached by ferry) is very laidback with unbelievable beaches and clear water. I have even considered moving there myself when irritated with my GF, haha. But it's small and would probably get boring. Then again, find a nice girl and it might be fine for awhile. There are very reasonably priced cottages right on the beach.

On the northern part of Negros, you could def make it work in San Carlos City (very sleepy and quiet), or Bacolod, on the west side of the island. Or Ilo-Ilo, on the next island over, west of Negros. San Carlos City is small, but closer to Cebu, the other two are both medium sized cities, with hospitals, smaller malls, etc. Not as popular with the expat crowd. Beaches I'm not sure about. They have ferry service to Cebu City or other locations, and airports.

Northern Negros in general is very unpopulated, especially in the interior. It's amazing for motorcycles - the road across the island from San Carlos City on the west to Bacolod is simply stunning, hardly another vehicle on it, for 100km. Beautiful pavement, views of the volcano, the road climbs and dips and winds up and around. Pine trees in higher elevations. Sugar cane is the crop. GF and I made the trip on my 650 Kawi and it was pure joy. Best riding I ever experienced in the Philippines.

One caveat about northern Negros unfortunately. There are significant numbers of NPA in the remote mountains and while they have not bothered tourists, you never know what could happen down the road. I would not make it a habit to hang out up in those mountains regularly, or make a regular run across the island at the same time every week as word might get around.

The last place I would strongly consider is Bohol, to the east of Cebu. It's a large island, a bit more developed than the other places I have mentioned, with a large port city (Tagbilaran) and many smaller towns going around the island. Close to the resort beaches of Panglao. The interior is relatively undeveloped with nice riding roads. Lot's to do in Tagbilaran, plenty of amenities, a little traffic at times. Two hour ferry ride to Cebu City. Yeah, I'd probably go there actually.

Just come to Cebu for a month or two, look around and pick a spot.

30K and 1k a month is doable but if you have any medical problems you will be in trouble.
I am moving to southern leyte, Maasin City area, Tomas Opus to be exact in September this year.
It is very cheap there compared to a big city like manila and more what i like to call country.

If i were you i would wait until i had atleast 200k in the bank. or make sure you are a home body.

If you are looking for a bar area then your money wont last long.
Think about longevity before making the leap!

Good luck in whatever you decide. I have been all over the Philippines on 7 different trips in the last 5 years staying 40 days my last trip. That gave me a real look at how things work there.

Make sure where ever you go has a good hospital and  infrastructure. Some of the islands are gorgeous but the infrastructure is non existent.

Also bank access is a must. Keep you money in the country you are from just make sure you have easy access if you need it.

Do not buy land or house unless it has been checked by the courts to legally be sold and you must be married to a Filipino anyway since it will have to go in her name.

Also the correct visa is essential in long term. Retirement visa is the best if you plan on staying for ever but it requires anywhere between 10k and 30k in their bank to qualify for and that can not be used ever unless invested in three things they let you invest in.

I have a balakbayan visa good for one year and then will get a tourist visa every 6 months after that expires.

Anywhere north of manila like Baguio is super expensive. Would be cheaper to stay in the states then there. Leyte is nice but no good hospital. North Leyte is typhoon area. Just make sure you research and visit anywhere you are interested in living before making the decision. Find a good wife it makes living there easier! I know some if you want! lol

Good Luck!

There are no good cities for retirement here! But if you must come stay far away from Manila!

Have a look on Mati city, Davao Oriental, provincial city, no traffic congestion, supermarket and wet market just around the corner, nice free beach or beach resort les than 15 mins drive whit scooter, we rent 1 bedroom house (newly build) 6000 peso a month, by the way there is a bar (whitbargirls) just around the corner (never been but hered about it haha) hospital and ATM 10 and 5 mins walk.
I love it here, no karaoke or other noises after 6 in the evening considering the bus terminal is just around the corner we do have found a Prime location, am such a lucky sob he.
Greets Dirk

Bhavna wrote:

Hello everyone,

An increasing amount of people want to spend their retirement abroad. Would you consider giving a few tips to those looking into the Philippines for their retirement?

What are the most attractive cities for retirees in the Philippines?

Why are these the best cities in the Philippines for retirement (quality of life, cost of living, climate, health, security, etc.)?

Are there any specific areas in the Philippines where there are special retirement schemes or retirement-friendly residential areas?

Are there any activities suitable for retirees in the Philippines?

Do you have any tips on where to start looking or how to choose a suitable city for ones retirement in the Philippines?

If you have, yourself, chosen to spend your retirement abroad, please tell us what city you have chosen and why?

Please share your experience.

Bhavna

Unless you have been here for several months and explored various areas, you will not really know where you want to settle.
The nicest thing about the Philippines is that most locals speak passable English so you can take your time to find a place to land and see if it's what you're looking for.
The best advice I can give is to not make any plans that CANNOT be undone without great expense or major disappointment.
You can watch a thousands youtube videos and not have any real idea of what the Philippines are like until you are in country.

Tim_L wrote:

I honestly don't know how people live on $600-$1K a month. I certainly couldn't do it, at least not comfortably. I lived comfortably in the US and had/have no plans to alter that lifestyle to live elsewhere. Honestly, the only thing that I see as being cheaper is labor and cigarettes. Alcohol is also cheaper, if you're cool with local alcohol. I'm not. Haha
I don't employ anyone or use labor for anything so I really get no benefit from it being cheaper. I tend to eat mostly western foods so, that isn't any cheaper and in a lot of cases, it's more. Any electronics that you need are definitely more expensive then where I'm from. Pretty much anything not produced locally, will cost more then you could get it at home.
Of course, I could live in a province with limited power/internet or further from the city center to save cash but, that's not for me.
Sure, I can ride a jeepney instead of chilling in an A/C Grab. Again, nope.
I could eat local food and I do enjoy some dishes albeit, limited so, that's mostly a no for me.

Also, the published 52 to 1 conversion rate, I rarely see. I don't see it in Xoom, Western Union, ATM withdrawals, etc.
Maybe I am missing something somewhere. In fact, my latest Xoom transfer yesterday was about 49.89 to 1. The one that I did on the 24th of June was 50.04 - 1. Add to that Xoom add another $4+ transaction fee.
For tourists, there's another $30+ a month for Visa's and the $50 for an ACR after 59 days.

I spend close to double what Steve's draw is but I am renting a 2bdrm 80sq meter condo not far from Ayala, we eat out often, or rather have delivered often, fiber internet, 2 local cells, an international cell, cigs, alcohol although I just quit drinking and we mostly take taxi's everywhere.
I also have worldwide health coverage that runs me $300 a month. I may explore PhilHealth but that would be in addition to my current insurance, not a replacement for. PhilHealth would basically be a supplement and unless you have cash socked away for an emergency, I wouldn't rely on it for anything major. For foreigners, it doesn't cover what I would consider major things anyway.

Please don't take this as a gripe, it isn't one. Just laying it out from my own perspective. I enjoy life here very much but, for those who think it's much cheaper then home and in some cases it may be, for me however, it isn't.  It also may not be for those who want to maintain the lifestyle that they are accustomed to back home.

TransferWise, is your best bet for transferring money to the Philippines. You get the true conversion rate for a processing fee of about 1%.
If I need to use an ATM to get money from my US bank, my bank charges 1% but I also get the true conversion rate(mid-market) and they credit back the ATM fee.

Tim_L wrote:

I honestly don't know how people live on $600-$1K a month. I certainly couldn't do it, at least not comfortably. I lived comfortably in the US and had/have no plans to alter that lifestyle to live elsewhere. Honestly, the only thing that I see as being cheaper is labor and cigarettes. Alcohol is also cheaper, if you're cool with local alcohol. I'm not. Haha
I don't employ anyone or use labor for anything so I really get no benefit from it being cheaper. I tend to eat mostly western foods so, that isn't any cheaper and in a lot of cases, it's more. Any electronics that you need are definitely more expensive then where I'm from. Pretty much anything not produced locally, will cost more then you could get it at home.
Of course, I could live in a province with limited power/internet or further from the city center to save cash but, that's not for me.
Sure, I can ride a jeepney instead of chilling in an A/C Grab. Again, nope.
I could eat local food and I do enjoy some dishes albeit, limited so, that's mostly a no for me.

Also, the published 52 to 1 conversion rate, I rarely see. I don't see it in Xoom, Western Union, ATM withdrawals, etc.
Maybe I am missing something somewhere. In fact, my latest Xoom transfer yesterday was about 49.89 to 1. The one that I did on the 24th of June was 50.04 - 1. Add to that Xoom add another $4+ transaction fee.
For tourists, there's another $30+ a month for Visa's and the $50 for an ACR after 59 days.

I spend close to double what Steve's draw is but I am renting a 2bdrm 80sq meter condo not far from Ayala, we eat out often, or rather have delivered often, fiber internet, 2 local cells, an international cell, cigs, alcohol although I just quit drinking and we mostly take taxi's everywhere.
I also have worldwide health coverage that runs me $300 a month. I may explore PhilHealth but that would be in addition to my current insurance, not a replacement for. PhilHealth would basically be a supplement and unless you have cash socked away for an emergency, I wouldn't rely on it for anything major. For foreigners, it doesn't cover what I would consider major things anyway.

Please don't take this as a gripe, it isn't one. Just laying it out from my own perspective. I enjoy life here very much but, for those who think it's much cheaper then home and in some cases it may be, for me however, it isn't.  It also may not be for those who want to maintain the lifestyle that they are accustomed to back home.

You point out a very valid point Tim_L, situations, needs, requirements and levels of comfort vary from individual to individual so your post is extremely helpful and I don't consider it a gripe.. 

I DO live on $800-$1000 a month but with some caveats. 

I live simply and am single with no significant other(yet) and live in a smaller city in the province.  I have a studio apt however it is large, 40sqm, and pay $300/mo (includes utilities).  I don't use aircon as I get a great, steady breeze from the ocean 5 blocks away.  Sometimes I eat local food (actually I love it) but mostly I make my own, I love to cook.  Cost for food is about the same as in the US though.  I eat out about once a week and get together with friends maybe twice a week for local beers.  Locally made alcohol, and by locally made I mean made in the Philippines not down the block, can be quite good but some is scary.  What is tequila-flavored liquor?    

I have a scooter but am very careful, always wear a helmet and closed toe shoes (the law) and only drive locally.  No Grab here and few taxis, mainly trikes and some jeepneys.  If I go out of town I take a bus or van.

I have 3 cellphones, 2 SIM cards, and 1 MagicJack for US calls.  2 of the cellphones are backups.  I don't NEED fibr internet though I would love to have it!  Instead I have a Globe at Home and pay $20/mo for 65 gigs/mo with 10Mbps download.  So far it has been sufficient for me to stream Netflix. 

I am self-funded for Healthcare.  I looked at PhilHealth and so far am not convinced it is worthwhile as I have read it only covers part of hospital costs, nothing outpatient for expats.  If I anticipate an operation I will head back to the US an have it covered under Medicare.

For money transfer I use a Schwab debit card and the lowest conversion rate I have seen has been 51 to 1.  Schwab doesn't charge international fees or ATM fees and reimburses me monthly for the local bank ATM fees. 

I believe I am actually living better here than I did in the US on less money.  My savings occurs in the rent (my apt is twice the size and half the cost of what I had in the US), utilities, car insurance (lack of) and gasoline.  Food costs are about the same if I don't get carried away with imported goods and I seem to be ordering more off Amazon then I did before, shipping costs aren't that bad!

We have no trouble living on $1000/month in Ilocos Sur.  Pay a total of $110/month for electricity, internet and cable.  Own the house, real estate taxes are a few dollars a year.  Hard to spend more than $800/month on food, transportation and entertainment.  Teeth exam and cleaning is $12.  Blood pressure meds are $4/month.

Well it sure sounds to me like it is not cheap to retire in the Phillipines (unless you own your house), and there doesnt seem to be anyone who can come up with a decent place to live and retire to that doesnt get a counter argument, again unless you have a local wife and extended family (which I really dont want). I will probably go with plan B, which is retiring to Phnom Penh - nice one bedroom apartment $350 a month, lots of interesting places to visit - Angkor, Battambang, Kep etc - easy to get around on a motorbike, minimal law enforcement provided one stays away from drugs and underage girls, great nightlife, cheap food, no need to have a lot of cash in the bank, short flight to Bangkok for cheap medical stuff.......and if I get tired of city life after a couple of years, move to Siem Reap or Kampot, even cheaper there.