Moving To Cebu City

[Placebo]

Hi!

 

Im living since 3 years in cambodia (phnom Penh), but I plan to move to cebu city at the end of this year.

I would like to ask some noob-begginer-questions and would be glad if some people could help me out here with information:

 

1.) Is it in cebu for exapts mor common to live in western-styled appartements (like in phnom penh) or in condos/studios (like it shall be the case in Makati City)?

What costs can you expect when you want to rent an usual 1 bed room appartement or condo near or at the Mano square?

 

 

2.) Are there some really good high endish gyms in the town?

 

3.) I have been learning in cambodia also the local language khmer cause I just like to learn new languages.

In Cebu city the local language would be Cebuano/Visayan if I am corretly informed - is it easy to find competent teachers for private lessons?

 

4.) How is or how can be the interbet regards to speed and stability if you are willing to pay for it?

That means, what can you get et best in Cebu city and for much? I have heard now from soem people that the internet in cebu city shall be terrible - is this the truth or are there some solid options?

 

Ok, that would be all so far - really would appreciate some answers^^

 

Best Regards,

Placebo:)

[BrettGC]

1.  Can't really say, spent a lot of time in the area but never lived there.

2.  Yes there are, a multitude.  Particularly around the Ayala Mall area.

3.  If you can learn Khmer, you'll have no problems with Visayan.  I used to speak a little Khmer form my UN peacekeeper days back in the early 90's (I think I could probably still order a cold beer or buy a packet of smokes there but that's it - use it or lose it as with most languages), it's a tonal language whereas all the Philippine languages aren't, so it's basically just rote memory to be conversational.  Watch sub-titled TV to pick up Tagalog, hang with locals to learn any of the Visayan dialects.  As for private lessons I have no clue, I tend to just immerse myself.  I'd recommend learning both Tagalog and Cebuano even if you're based in Cebu, the former will hold you in good stead no matter where you travel in PH and the English is not so good.  On the upside, I see you're German, a lot of resorts cater to German tourists so you'll be fine in places like Alona or Boracay.  

4.  Sorry, refer to point 1, but I know from when I was staying with Frosty (Chris), he was very happy with his PLDT landline connection in Lapu-Lapu City (LLC).  I'm a gamer and didn't get to test it out while I was there.  If you're a gamer, you know what I mean. 

 

Best I can do sorry :)

 

:cheersty:

[Gator]

Hello and welcome to the board.

 

 

1.) Is it in cebu for exapts mor common to live in western-styled appartements (like in phnom penh) or in condos/studios (like it shall be the case in Makati City)? What costs can you expect when you want to rent an usual 1 bed room appartement or condo near or at the Mano square?

 

 

I presume you meant Mango Square? You don't mention if you're looking for furnished, partially furnished (which here sometimes means a simple cabinet or a card table and some cheap plastic chairs, lol) or unfurnished.

 

If you mean "Garden Style" apt complexes you won't find many like that in Cebu City; at least not any that cater specifically to westerners. More like smaller 10-20 unit multi family houses or gated "compounds", a few "Pension" houses, some apartelle's as well as high rise condos. When I arrived back in Oct I looked at a few places in that area (furnished only). Rent at places I looked at ranged from 15 to 80K php per month; with the mean average in the 25-35K per month range. I did see a few for under 15K, but they didn't meet my standards for living (ie: no hot water or no aircon, etc). At the low end, the places were mostly in older condos, but they tended to be a bit larger then the newer "shoe box" sized ones being built today. The higher end condos, like Ultima on Osmena Blvd, were nice, but way over my 20-25K budget.

 

If you're looking for unfurnished, I did notice several 1BR's in that area that were fairly nice and in the 15-25K per month range; even one or two that were under 10K.

 

2.) Are there some really good high endish gyms in the town?]

 

 

As Brett said, yes. To name a few: "Fitness First" in Ayala mall, "Gold's Gym" in JY Mall (Mandaue) and I think there's one in SM Cebu City, but I can't recall the name as well as the Park Lane hotel, which also has a nice gym that's open to non-guests for about 1,200 - 1,500p per month.

 

 

3.) I have been learning in cambodia also the local language khmer cause I just like to learn new languages. In Cebu city the local language would be Cebuano/Visayan if I am corretly informed - is it easy to find competent teachers for private lessons?

 

 

Simple answer = yes; and quite cheap too. Private instruction can be had for as little as the price of dinner with an attractive lady, but that's a different topic, lol.

 

 

4.) How is or how can be the interbet regards to speed and stability if you are willing to pay for it? That means, what can you get et best in Cebu city and for much? I have heard now from soem people that the internet in cebu city shall be terrible - is this the truth or are there some solid options?

 

 

To name a few: PLDT, Globe and Sky cable offer hardwired broadband service with PLDT probably being the most widely used. Depends on the area as to which one is available. If money's no option, then they offer high mb plans, but IMHO they're quite expensive. Check out their respective websites for more info.

 

If it's not already included in your rent then take note that a minimum 1 year contract is required, with PLDT also requiring a 2 year landline contract along with it. Service with any of them can be problematic at times so it's advisable to have a 3 or 4G/LTE pocket Wi-Fi device as a backup. In fact, all I use is a Huawei 4G/LTE device (1K php per month for unli service) and I'm quite satisfied with it, but I'm not a "gamer" (unless you count spider solitaire, lol). 

 

As a side note, don't go by the prices quoted for rent on the internet (like on OLX or Craigslist) as they tend to cater to "poreigners". I strongly suggest you just come here for a visit first to see if you even like the city as well as to take some time to wander around the area you want to live in and actually look at places available for rent. And if you choose to deal with a real estate agent, then make sure their licensed and not just a "fixer" (even dealing with licensed agents can be problematic, but that's a topic for whole nother thread, lol).

 

 

[sonjack2847]

Hi!

 

Im living since 3 years in cambodia (phnom Penh), but I plan to move to cebu city at the end of this year.

I would like to ask some noob-begginer-questions and would be glad if some people could help me out here with information:

 

1.) Is it in cebu for exapts mor common to live in western-styled appartements (like in phnom penh) or in condos/studios (like it shall be the case in Makati City)?

What costs can you expect when you want to rent an usual 1 bed room appartement or condo near or at the Mano square?

 

 

2.) Are there some really good high endish gyms in the town?

 

3.) I have been learning in cambodia also the local language khmer cause I just like to learn new languages.

In Cebu city the local language would be Cebuano/Visayan if I am corretly informed - is it easy to find competent teachers for private lessons?

 

4.) How is or how can be the interbet regards to speed and stability if you are willing to pay for it?

That means, what can you get et best in Cebu city and for much? I have heard now from soem people that the internet in cebu city shall be terrible - is this the truth or are there some solid options?

 

Ok, that would be all so far - really would appreciate some answers^^

 

Best Regards,

Placebo:)

2) In Ayala mall they have a fitness first gym which I was a member of in the UK. I did look into it and if I remember correctly it had all the equipment you will need.

4) I had Globe there 3 years ago and was not impressed. I have it here now and it ( so far) works fine. I pay for 2 meg download speed and get on average around 1.8. Saying that  when I checked yesterday it was 8.9mb but that didn`t last for long.

[Placebo]

Hey, thanks very much@all for all your detailed inforamtion - that really helped me already a lot!:)