In General, Are Your Living Expenses More Or Less In The Philippines Than Your Home Country? If U.s. Please Indicate State.

[cyberbro]

Hello all!

 

This is just what "I" have seen and surmise from my vacations / contacts / experience in PH so far.

 

I'm buying a condo in Cebu City (It will not be done for a few years), to tell you the truth maybe it's the location but the cost of living does not seem that much cheaper (not like you would expect) then what I pay living on Long Island New York. In Cebu City condo's seem to range from 70k to 120k for a studio to one bedroom with a parking spot to 250k for a big 3 bedroom. I have not looked at renting and I really don't like the feeling of not owning so this is a high cost for that insecurity I know.

The Big saving will come from property tax, I'm about $11,000.00 a year on Long Island for a home, but it's the 3 x the size of a condo. Also this is "if" I live the same way I live in the US, like my own car to go everyplace I want, eat out all the time and in general spend a lot of money on entertainment and fun. Cars in PH are REALY high (kind of makes up of the cheap property tax) if your a buy a new car guy (yes I'm sure you can get someones headache on the cheap), gas is not cheap anyplace in the world anymore. Food is cheaper even to eat out but I bet I will end up eating out more. I have not yet moved to PH and will not for a few years so I will see first hand all of this at that time and how it plays out.

 

Medical did seem a LOT cheaper but then I will not be able to use medicare or medicaid so its kind of like self insuring.  In truth I think I could find a similar expense ratio moving to Vegas Or parts of Texas/the south when compared to City living in PH. So obviously I'm not going because its cheaper, I think you could find a cheaper living in PH but you get what you pay for any place in the world. Go because you like the people and the weather or the water, not because you can live like a king for 99 cents a day or what ever ridiculous thing some retirement article says on the internet.

[calasiaobound]

Howmany people is that for? I live with just my wife and we only spend about half that IN CALIFORNIA!

That was 3 ppl. Including mortgage, car payments, electric, gas( natural and for vehiciles)

Food, cable, internet, car insurance...etc

Added up fast

[scott h]

I'm sure though it would cost a lot more than that in California on labor costs alone.

 

Oh Geezzzzz Tom, your right, not even in the same order of magnitude, just as an example for comparison we sold our nest egg house before the move. 697 square feet craftsman bungalow built in 1927 (900 square foot lot) for $230,000. As noted in some other posts where you really save money here are things that include labor, locally made/grown products and things like that.

[tomaw]

My rent :p3500

Electricity: p1150

Food: p7500

WiFi: p1000

Misc: p2500

Total=p15650 per month (ish)

I'm from Portland Oregon. My monthly bills were in the $ 4000 USD range

How many people is that for? I live with just my wife and we only spend about half that IN CALIFORNIA!

You and your wife live on $175/mo in California???

You said your monthly bills were in the $4,000 USD range. My mistake. You were talking about your budget in Oregon and I was thinking it was for the Philippines. Your budget for the Philippines though of P15650 = about only $349.25 a month and that's excellent! :-) Edited June 5, 2015 by tomaw

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Iloilo, Western Visayas, 2 bedroom apartment in the city.

 

Rent: p6,500
Electricity: p3,500  (run aircon at night only)
Food: p10,000 (grocery & wet market)
Internet: p1,300
Phone loads: p500

Entertainment: p4.000
Total=p25,800 per month

I'm from Dallas, TX. My monthly bills were in the $ 3,000 USD range. 

[davewe]

 

My rent :p3500

Electricity: p1150

Food: p7500

WiFi: p1000

Misc: p2500

Total=p15650 per month (ish)

I'm from Portland Oregon. My monthly bills were in the $ 4000 USD range

How many people is that for? I live with just my wife and we only spend about half that IN CALIFORNIA!

 

This is why it's an impossible (apples to oranges) type of question. It's also why you got the same answers from me when you asked on that other forum :)

 

I too live in Portland, OR and have a similar budget as quoted above (mine's closer to $3000/month).

 

Instead of hitting the specifics which are so wildly different for everyone, how about some generalities:

 

Mortgage/rent/insurance: In the US I pay $1300 for a modest home, whose mortgage I have paid down. I expect rent in the areas of PI I am interested in will be 1/3 or 1/4 of what I currently pay.

 

Transportation: if you don't need a car, transportation expenses are cleap in PI. If you do need a car, expect it to cost the same or even a bit more. Gas is more. Insurance and some maintenance less.

 

Labor: Next to home prices, might be the next best place to save. Anything involving labor, and I count medical/dental as labor, will be significantly cheaper.

 

Food: Cheaper if you can live on local products. A bit cheaper if you must have restaurants. Not cheaper or even more expensive if you must have all your Western faves. Local = less. Imports = more. I still expect that a combination should save us a bit of money, especially since my wife will want more Filipino foods.

 

Drinking: I'm not much of a drinker but San Mig is so good in the heat. I expect the beer budget to go up :)

 

Utilities: Electric is more. No heat needed, so for me that's at least a $1000/year savings. Garbage and water are expensive in my US town, so that's a savings. Internet might be a bit less in PI but as we know the quality is less as well.

 

Entertainment: I'm not a big club guy, but I expect that to be less in PI.

 

Travel: Since I travel a lot now to PI and once I move will travel to the US, that might be a wash, although staying in US hotels will be a painful expense. Local traveling around the Philippines is less but since it's so attractive it might be something we do more often and therefore we might ultimately spend more.

 

Medical Insurance: Will do Philhealth + some kind of insurance. It will cost less but also pay for less.

 

Medical: Doctors/hospitals less. Meds as much or more.

 

Clothes: My wife loves clothes (don't they all) but is pretty frugal with her clothes budget. I expect she will spend the same but maybe get a bit more bang for her buck in PI.

 

Helper: As I said labor is cheap and we will probably have a helper which we certainly don't now. So that's a small expense that we don't currently have.

 

The bottom line is there is no definitive answer. It depends on where you will live and the lifestyle you want. In PI you can spend as little or as much as you want I suspect. One big difference is that in most areas of the Philippines you will not be "competing with the Jones'" as much as you do in the West. I shutter when I think of how much crap I buy just because it's out there and everyone else buys it.

[tomaw]

My rent :p3500

Electricity: p1150

Food: p7500

WiFi: p1000

Misc: p2500

Total=p15650 per month (ish)

I'm from Portland Oregon. My monthly bills were in the $ 4000 USD range

How many people is that for? I live with just my wife and we only spend about half that IN CALIFORNIA!

This is why it's an impossible (apples to oranges) type of question. It's also why you got the same answers from me when you asked on that other forum :)

I too live in Portland, OR and have a similar budget as quoted above (mine's closer to $3000/month).

Instead of hitting the specifics which are so wildly different for everyone, how about some generalities:

Mortgage/rent/insurance: In the US I pay $1300 for a modest home, whose mortgage I have paid down. I expect rent in the areas of PI I am interested in will be 1/3 or 1/4 of what I currently pay.

Transportation: if you don't need a car, transportation expenses are cleap in PI. If you do need a car, expect it to cost the same or even a bit more. Gas is more. Insurance and some maintenance less.

Labor: Next to home prices, might be the next best place to save. Anything involving labor, and I count medical/dental as labor, will be significantly cheaper.

Food: Cheaper if you can live on local products. A bit cheaper if you must have restaurants. Not cheaper or even more expensive if you must have all your Western faves. Local = less. Imports = more. I still expect that a combination should save us a bit of money, especially since my wife will want more Filipino foods.

Drinking: I'm not much of a drinker but San Mig is so good in the heat. I expect the beer budget to go up :)

Utilities: Electric is more. No heat needed, so for me that's at least a $1000/year savings. Garbage and water are expensive in my US town, so that's a savings. Internet might be a bit less in PI but as we know the quality is less as well.

Entertainment: I'm not a big club guy, but I expect that to be less in PI.

Travel: Since I travel a lot now to PI and once I move will travel to the US, that might be a wash, although staying in US hotels will be a painful expense. Local traveling around the Philippines is less but since it's so attractive it might be something we do more often and therefore we might ultimately spend more.

Medical Insurance: Will do Philhealth + some kind of insurance. It will cost less but also pay for less.

Medical: Doctors/hospitals less. Meds as much or more.

Clothes: My wife loves clothes (don't they all) but is pretty frugal with her clothes budget. I expect she will spend the same but maybe get a bit more bang for her buck in PI.

Helper: As I said labor is cheap and we will probably have a helper which we certainly don't now. So that's a small expense that we don't currently have.

The bottom line is there is no definitive answer. It depends on where you will live and the lifestyle you want. In PI you can spend as little or as much as you want I suspect. One big difference is that in most areas of the Philippines you will not be "competing with the Jones'" as much as you do in the West. I shutter when I think of how much crap I buy just because it's out there and everyone else buys it.

Good answers and pretty much what I'd expect. Thanks! :-)

[tomaw]

Iloilo, Western Visayas, 2 bedroom apartment in the city.

Rent: p6,500

Electricity: p3,500 (run aircon at night only)

Food: p10,000 (grocery & wet market)

Internet: p1,300

Phone loads: p500

Entertainment: p4.000

Total=p25,800 per month

I'm from Dallas, TX. My monthly bills were in the $ 3,000 USD range.

Excellent! :-) 25800= about $575! :-) That's a whole lot less than $3000! :-)

[tomaw]

I'm sure though it would cost a lot more than that in California on labor costs alone.

Oh Geezzzzz Tom, your right, not even in the same order of magnitude, just as an example for comparison we sold our nest egg house before the move. 697 square feet craftsman bungalow built in 1927 (900 square foot lot) for $230,000. As noted in some other posts where you really save money here are things that include labor, locally made/grown products and things like that.

Got it! That's what I thought. Edited June 5, 2015 by tomaw

[Tukaram (Tim)]

 

Iloilo, Western Visayas, 2 bedroom apartment in the city.

Rent: p6,500

Electricity: p3,500 (run aircon at night only)

Food: p10,000 (grocery & wet market)

Internet: p1,300

Phone loads: p500

Entertainment: p4.000

Total=p25,800 per month

I'm from Dallas, TX. My monthly bills were in the $ 3,000 USD range.

Excellent! :-) 25800= about $575! :-) That's a whole lot less than $3000! :-)

 

 

Yes, but.... it is up to you ....

 

I lived my first year in a bamboo/nipa hut (much cheaper).  I was happy with it but would have a hard time recommending it.  Everyone's needs are different.  You can easily spend as much here as you do in the US.   What I have now is a regular apartment, in the city.  I am walking distance from the largest mall in town.  It is nothing fancy, but quite liveable.   :tiphat: