Is It Really Less Expensive To Live In The Philippines?

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jamesmusslewhite
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I moved last October from Houston, Texas and moved about 3 kilometers outside of Surigao City. We found a new construction (2bedroom, 2bath concrete upstairs duplex with tile floors)just 30 yards from the beach. We see the ocean from our bedroom and the mountains from our front windows.I can walk to my son's High school in 30 minutes, and Surigao City in 45 mins. We have lived very comfortable under $640 dollars a month. Rent.....................8,000 pesosElectric.................2,000 pesosWater......................125 pesosSatellite Internet.......1,000 pesos........................11,125 pesos Total.......................$236.70 (US Dollar)We buy groceries at the markets and my wife cooks, but she lived in the US for 24 years and we eat mostly style meals. We have meat at every meal either (fish, chicken, pork, or beef) and have found most food items to complete American style dishes. I have always cooked a better hamburger than most places sell. The Filipinos are good enough meat grillers to make a BBQ loving Texas boy feel at home. We do not miss much. My wife bought a 6-1/2 hector farm on Dinagat Island (8 years ago) which is a 45 min boat ride across the waters behind our house. We are still able to budget funds to help purchase fertilizers and seed for the farm. We grow coconuts, mango, papaya, avocado, pineapple, banana, sweet potatoes, casaba, rice, and caladium. The farm has 3 different fresh water sources and has approx 1,8000 mature coconut trees. We are saving to build a structure so we can begin coconut oil production.We can actually have a fuller more enriched life here that we were having back in the States. My wife and I both worked long hard hours and always seem to fall short of our monthly needs and could not enjoy or day to day lives. Here we have very little stress, breath fresh air, drink fresh water, and eat vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables.We are happier here and only wish we would have moved 10 years earlier. Every day holds more promise than the next, and we feel ourselves to be blessed.

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Jollygoodfellow
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I moved last October from Houston, Texas and moved about 3 kilometers outside of Surigao City. We found a new construction (2bedroom, 2bath concrete upstairs duplex with tile floors)just 30 yards from the beach. We see the ocean from our bedroom and the mountains from our front windows.I can walk to my son's High school in 30 minutes, and Surigao City in 45 mins. We have lived very comfortable under $640 dollars a month. Rent.....................8,000 pesosElectric.................2,000 pesosWater......................125 pesosSatellite Internet.......1,000 pesos........................11,125 pesos Total.......................$236.70 (US Dollar)We buy groceries at the markets and my wife cooks, but she lived in the US for 24 years and we eat mostly style meals. We have meat at every meal either (fish, chicken, pork, or beef) and have found most food items to complete American style dishes. I have always cooked a better hamburger than most places sell. The Filipinos are good enough meat grillers to make a BBQ loving Texas boy feel at home. We do not miss much. My wife bought a 6-1/2 hector farm on Dinagat Island (8 years ago) which is a 45 min boat ride across the waters behind our house. We are still able to budget funds to help purchase fertilizers and seed for the farm. We grow coconuts, mango, papaya, avocado, pineapple, banana, sweet potatoes, casaba, rice, and caladium. The farm has 3 different fresh water sources and has approx 1,8000 mature coconut trees. We are saving to build a structure so we can begin coconut oil production.We can actually have a fuller more enriched life here that we were having back in the States. My wife and I both worked long hard hours and always seem to fall short of our monthly needs and could not enjoy or day to day lives. Here we have very little stress, breath fresh air, drink fresh water, and eat vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables.We are happier here and only wish we would have moved 10 years earlier. Every day holds more promise than the next, and we feel ourselves to be blessed.
Firstly James, I would like to welcome you to the forum :welcome: Sure sounds like a nice place to live and the costs are cheap.I was just doing some research on Surigao city and it appears to be a clean city by the photos I seen,is this the case or just a matter of the best shots of the city shown?Also I noticed the city seems to be a progressive modern city,I hope to take a look next time Im in the Philippines. :thumbsup: post-1-1246879145_thumb.jpg post-1-1246879195_thumb.jpg
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jamesmusslewhite
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I moved last October from Houston, Texas and moved about 3 kilometers outside of Surigao City. We found a new construction (2bedroom, 2bath concrete upstairs duplex with tile floors)just 30 yards from the beach. We see the ocean from our bedroom and the mountains from our front windows.I can walk to my son's High school in 30 minutes, and Surigao City in 45 mins. We have lived very comfortable under $640 dollars a month. Rent.....................8,000 pesosElectric.................2,000 pesosWater......................125 pesosSatellite Internet.......1,000 pesos........................11,125 pesos Total.......................$236.70 (US Dollar)We buy groceries at the markets and my wife cooks, but she lived in the US for 24 years and we eat mostly style meals. We have meat at every meal either (fish, chicken, pork, or beef) and have found most food items to complete American style dishes. I have always cooked a better hamburger than most places sell. The Filipinos are good enough meat grillers to make a BBQ loving Texas boy feel at home. We do not miss much. My wife bought a 6-1/2 hector farm on Dinagat Island (8 years ago) which is a 45 min boat ride across the waters behind our house. We are still able to budget funds to help purchase fertilizers and seed for the farm. We grow coconuts, mango, papaya, avocado, pineapple, banana, sweet potatoes, casaba, rice, and caladium. The farm has 3 different fresh water sources and has approx 1,8000 mature coconut trees. We are saving to build a structure so we can begin coconut oil production.We can actually have a fuller more enriched life here that we were having back in the States. My wife and I both worked long hard hours and always seem to fall short of our monthly needs and could not enjoy or day to day lives. Here we have very little stress, breath fresh air, drink fresh water, and eat vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables.We are happier here and only wish we would have moved 10 years earlier. Every day holds more promise than the next, and we feel ourselves to be blessed.
Firstly James, I would like to welcome you to the forum :welcome: Sure sounds like a nice place to live and the costs are cheap.I was just doing some research on Surigao city and it appears to be a clean city by the photos I seen,is this the case or just a matter of the best shots of the city shown?Also I noticed the city seems to be a progressive modern city,I hope to take a look next time Im in the Philippines. :thumbsup: post-1-1246879145_thumb.jpg post-1-1246879195_thumb.jpg
Surigao City is a nice place to live. The streets are clean for the most part. It is a little city of 135,000 and has a small town feel. It is a very safe city and has won many awards:Kaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local Governance.One of the Peace Cities in the World.#1 Child Friendly City.Consistent National Finalist as Cleanest City in the Philippines.Considered as one of Asia’s Most Livable City.Top 10 Competitive Cities in the Philippines for two consecutive years.In fact, the City of Surigao ranked No.1 in 2005 in terms of doing business out of 37 small cities in the Philippines.It has one of the most respected mayors in the Philippines, Mayor Casurra received:2005 University of San Carlos Outstanding Alumni Award2006 Outstanding Alumni of San Nicolas College, now St. Paul University of Surigao. 2003 Outstanding Public Servant Award by the Civil Service Commission.2006 Most Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines 2006 Local Government Leadership AwardIt has a thriving business community, steady growth, low crime, clean streets, growing and improving infrastructure. Traffic jams are only 2 blocks long, and you can walk across the city in 1 and a half hours. Has one of the best Public High Schools in the Philippines CARAGA Regional Science High School http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caraga_Region...nce_High_School which my son is attending. Has an Airport, 2 ferry terminals and is within 2 hours boat rides to incredible sites, beaches, and surf (Cloud-9). I can walk and feel safe anywhere in the city. My son is finally able to have a childhood. We love it here, and if we get the urge to go to the big city. 7pm we catch the ferry to Cebu arrive 8am the next morning, then play in Cebu. We shop, eat, explore then back to the ferry terminal at 6pm and we are back in Surigao the next morning at 7:30am. Cebu is a nice place to visit but we love the pace of Surigao City. I was born and raised in Houston and I like the small town feel. It is simple here and there is so much to see and do here for a small city. I would have to say that we love it here. Others may not Edited by jamesmusslewhite
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Jollygoodfellow
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I moved last October from Houston, Texas and moved about 3 kilometers outside of Surigao City. We found a new construction (2bedroom, 2bath concrete upstairs duplex with tile floors)just 30 yards from the beach. We see the ocean from our bedroom and the mountains from our front windows.I can walk to my son's High school in 30 minutes, and Surigao City in 45 mins. We have lived very comfortable under $640 dollars a month. Rent.....................8,000 pesosElectric.................2,000 pesosWater......................125 pesosSatellite Internet.......1,000 pesos........................11,125 pesos Total.......................$236.70 (US Dollar)We buy groceries at the markets and my wife cooks, but she lived in the US for 24 years and we eat mostly style meals. We have meat at every meal either (fish, chicken, pork, or beef) and have found most food items to complete American style dishes. I have always cooked a better hamburger than most places sell. The Filipinos are good enough meat grillers to make a BBQ loving Texas boy feel at home. We do not miss much. My wife bought a 6-1/2 hector farm on Dinagat Island (8 years ago) which is a 45 min boat ride across the waters behind our house. We are still able to budget funds to help purchase fertilizers and seed for the farm. We grow coconuts, mango, papaya, avocado, pineapple, banana, sweet potatoes, casaba, rice, and caladium. The farm has 3 different fresh water sources and has approx 1,8000 mature coconut trees. We are saving to build a structure so we can begin coconut oil production.We can actually have a fuller more enriched life here that we were having back in the States. My wife and I both worked long hard hours and always seem to fall short of our monthly needs and could not enjoy or day to day lives. Here we have very little stress, breath fresh air, drink fresh water, and eat vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables.We are happier here and only wish we would have moved 10 years earlier. Every day holds more promise than the next, and we feel ourselves to be blessed.
Firstly James, I would like to welcome you to the forum :welcome: Sure sounds like a nice place to live and the costs are cheap.I was just doing some research on Surigao city and it appears to be a clean city by the photos I seen,is this the case or just a matter of the best shots of the city shown?Also I noticed the city seems to be a progressive modern city,I hope to take a look next time Im in the Philippines. :thumbsup: post-1-1246879145_thumb.jpg post-1-1246879195_thumb.jpg
Surigao City is a nice place to live. The streets are clean for the most part. It is a little city of 135,000 and has a small town feel. It is a very safe city and has won many awards:Kaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local Governance.One of the Peace Cities in the World.#1 Child Friendly City.Consistent National Finalist as Cleanest City in the Philippines.Considered as one of Asia
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chimellie
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We were in Davao City 2 years ago, then we went to Samal island to visit a friend. We would like to go back someday, it was nice there and the people were friendly. Someday we would like to visit Surigao city, I've heard good things about it.

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Panserhansen
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I have gotten numerous emails of late asking me why people keep saying that it cost a lot less to live in the Philippines and I really do not think it cost less to live a western lifestyle in the Philippines, so I and others seem to be wondering why people keep saying that it is so much less expensive to live in the Philippines?
Prices in Norway:Monthly condo with maidservice 3 times a week: 120.000 peso/monthOne beer good located restaurant: 450 pesoA regular meal same restaurant: 1100 peso upA coctail: 750 pesoTaxi 10-15 minutes: 1400 peso upBus, inside city: 162 pesoHair cut: 1500 peso upMassage one hour: 4000 peso upPolo shirt: 1500 peso upBottle of Chianti Vinmonopolet(only one place you can buy liquor): 900 pesoBottle of Chianti at a restaurant: 2500 pesoMeal at McDonalds: 600 peso upThree course meal with wine at Olio-style restaurant, two persons: 15000 peso+Three-star hotel if you travel: 7500 peso upOlder single guys looking for pretty Norwegian girls to date or marry them, forget about it unless you're really really wealthy. The guys who arent, might stand a chance at the the bingo hall.That said, Norway is a wonderful country with breathtaking scenery. But western lifestyle is very expensive.
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Jollygoodfellow
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I have gotten numerous emails of late asking me why people keep saying that it cost a lot less to live in the Philippines and I really do not think it cost less to live a western lifestyle in the Philippines, so I and others seem to be wondering why people keep saying that it is so much less expensive to live in the Philippines?
Prices in Norway:Monthly condo with maidservice 3 times a week: 120.000 peso/monthOne beer good located restaurant: 450 pesoA regular meal same restaurant: 1100 peso upA coctail: 750 pesoTaxi 10-15 minutes: 1400 peso upBus, inside city: 162 pesoHair cut: 1500 peso upMassage one hour: 4000 peso upPolo shirt: 1500 peso upBottle of Chianti Vinmonopolet(only one place you can buy liquor): 900 pesoBottle of Chianti at a restaurant: 2500 pesoMeal at McDonalds: 600 peso upThree course meal with wine at Olio-style restaurant, two persons: 15000 peso+Three-star hotel if you travel: 7500 peso upOlder single guys looking for pretty Norwegian girls to date or marry them, forget about it unless you're really really wealthy. The guys who arent, might stand a chance at the the bingo hall.That said, Norway is a wonderful country with breathtaking scenery. But western lifestyle is very expensive.
But what would the average wage be in Norway??? Its a bit hard to compare without it. :thumbsup:
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Panserhansen
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But what would the average wage be in Norway??? Its a bit hard to compare without it. :thumbsup:
Norwegian average salary before tax is about 3 million pesos. Most people pay around 1/3 of their income in taxes. Still there is no way I could live this lifestyle in Norway. A quiet, safe and peaceful life - but boring compared to life here.
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Mik
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Prices in Norway:Monthly condo with maidservice 3 times a week: 120.000 peso/monthOne beer good located restaurant: 450 pesoA regular meal same restaurant: 1100 peso upA coctail: 750 pesoTaxi 10-15 minutes: 1400 peso upBus, inside city: 162 pesoHair cut: 1500 peso upMassage one hour: 4000 peso upPolo shirt: 1500 peso upBottle of Chianti Vinmonopolet(only one place you can buy liquor): 900 pesoBottle of Chianti at a restaurant: 2500 pesoMeal at McDonalds: 600 peso upThree course meal with wine at Olio-style restaurant, two persons: 15000 peso+Three-star hotel if you travel: 7500 peso upOlder single guys looking for pretty Norwegian girls to date or marry them, forget about it unless you're really really wealthy. The guys who arent, might stand a chance at the the bingo hall.That said, Norway is a wonderful country with breathtaking scenery. But western lifestyle is very expensive.
I would burn through my monthly pension in about 4 or 5 days living like that in Norway (and I'm sure the 20-35 year old ladies would totally ignore me). I could eat beans and burgers and play bingo with the other pensioners but if I couldn't afford liquor it wouldn't be much fun. No, I better stay here in Cebu.
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jamesmusslewhite
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Boss Man,Surigao City Official Sitehttp://www.surigaocity.gov.ph/index.php?op...ge&Itemid=1The Galing Pook Foundationhttp://www.galingpook.org/awardees/1998/19...fra_surigao.htm Surigao City has 16 public and private hospitals, 26 rural heal and family planning centers, 64 barangay health stations, 3 private mediccal clinics, 61 drugstores, 117 Small Provence Pharmacies and 25 hospital pharmacies. For a little City it has addiquate Medical and Dental services.The Larger Hospitals are:Caraga Regional Hospital http://www.doh.gov.ph/crhweb/Miranda Family Hospitalhttp://www.mirfam.com/mfh/photo.htmlGrace Christian Clinic, Capitol Road Surigao Medical Center, Km. 1 Poly Clinic, Rizal StreetRehab Specialist and Pain Clinic, Km 1hope this answers your question.

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