Maybe move to Davao

[Peachy]

hi everyone,

Me and my boyfriend from Florida is considering moving to Davao, as I lived there 2009 till 2013 before I moved overseas (Saudi, Bali and Malaysia). Now we were planning to finally settle in Davao, my only concern is that I don't want him to feel like he doesn't belong, is there a large community of westerners there now? what about the costs of living? and most of all the security. Thanks everyone! your comments and suggestions will be highly appreciated. Cheers!

Peachy

[Jollygoodfellow]

Welcome

I split this into your own topic so please do not post more or less the same thing every where on the forum.  

[frosty (chris)]

17 hours ago, Peachy said:

hi everyone,

Me and my boyfriend from Florida is considering moving to Davao, as I lived there 2009 till 2013 before I moved overseas (Saudi, Bali and Malaysia). Now we were planning to finally settle in Davao, my only concern is that I don't want him to feel like he doesn't belong, is there a large community of westerners there now? what about the costs of living? and most of all the security. Thanks everyone! your comments and suggestions will be highly appreciated. Cheers!

Peachy

Hi Peachy . I would suggest you spend sometime reading some of the topics about Davao on this forum. One member I am Bob, does speak very highly of the place but he hasn't been on this forum for awhile. Hope all goes well in the future for both of you

[mogo51]

Welcome to the forum also.  As you lived there for 4 years, I would think you should have a good idea as to the demographics of Davao.  I was there once but only for a few days.

As suggested, lots of material here on the forum already for you to check, but others may be able to assist.  I think there is a fair number of westerners and I saw quite a few when I was there.

[i am bob]

Hmmm...  westerners?  i have one american friend here and an aussie who is back home for a bit...  the rest are all filipinos and i don't really notice that they aren't westerners...  lol!   

COA?  depending on what your budget will be for housing, well, that can be anywhere...  forget apartments and condos - renting a house is much cheaper and more comfortable!  you can start a basic house (Deca) with a dirty kitchen needing a tarp over it to keep you dry - for around P5k a month...  slide up a bit - i have a 2 bedroom in countryville executive homes for p7k (it was supposed to be p10k but an error in advertising got me the discount...  lol)...   or you can keep going on up higher if you want...  i would suggest that, if he likes to keep cool and not by aircon, look for a subdivision with a pool or one near a resort...  i'm 10 minutes by jeepney from the main entertainment resort (wave pool, amusement park, etc) and used to be near another resort famous for it's pools...  

utillities aren't bad but be careful where you go in relation to water...  here in the north it's a well that supplies this part of town and the water is full of minerals...  back on the east end it was a filtered water supply and could be used for coffee in a pinch...  either way you will want bottled water to drink though...  cell phones and internet...  Globe is pushing their wireless internet and is great here in the north - as is their phone signal (same signal i would think) but most people here are on Smart so, if you want to call or text someone?  go our front and sit on the curb when you're on the phone...  lol!  transportation?  jeepneys here are small and large...  huh?  yeah, there are some larger jeepneys like you will see in most cities but it seems many are now switching over to the little things based on a suzuki truck...  some of these i end up crawling on my hands and knees so i try to avoid them...  and, the multiple main routes (they are everywhere!) will have another jeepney coming by in less than a minute most times so waiting for one that fits isn't too bad...  just tell the boyfriend to ask the driver to let him know when they get to his stop as he will only be able to see the sidewalk beside the jeepney...  did i mention that i usually take taxis?  hehe!  just finally recovering from a broke hip and leg...  or i'll be travelling across to the other side of the city and i'd rather do 20 minutes in a taxi than 1 1/2 hours by jeepney...  less than $5USD each way so i can't complain...

food...  hmmm...  go to the larger NCCC groceries, park 'n slop at victoria mall (actually i like the place) and the public market...  i'll usually go once a month and then the rest of the time just top up at a local vendor - or when they come by the front of the house...  hard to justify the small difference in price between the 2 as jeepneys both ways will cost more...  and thats only a couple pesos...  seriously, there are malls everywhere here...  when i lived in the hotel on san pedro (downtown downtown), i was withing a 5 minute walk of 5 grocery stores...  and also bankerohan market...  oh, the same name store will have different prices depending on where they are...  i found the SM in Lanang more expensive than the SM in ecoland which was more expensive than the savemore in Bangkal...  same store, 3 locations in the city...

you lived here before so you know how dangerous it is...  it's even more dangerous now...  yup!  when i go walking between 1 am and 3 am?  the security guard at the 7-11s keep trying to kidnap me and take me inside until i buy something...  such a dangerous place!

oh, before i forget?  yellow cab is suppose to have a really good pizza but i still go to Abreeza Mall where i can get anything (including a decent pizza for half the price of yellow cab) on the S&R take-out menu without a membership for S&R...  hehe!

[Pangit]

I have no problems in Davao, I quite like it actually.

I have lived in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Sakhalin Island (Russia) and I think overall I like it here the most. The food in Thailand was most enjoyable, I am not too enamoured with the food here but we eat at home 99% of the time anyway.

12k per month rent for a house and lot here in NovaTierra, not an apartment. Fibre into my living room but the internet connection varies, yesterday download speeds were 49Kbps last week 38Mbps, I am in the process of sorting out why woth PLDT.

Tricycles and Jeeps are plentifull but like I am Bob says they are way too small for me, so we usually ride our own bicycles or taxis.

as for expat population, I see a few other guys around but I tend to keep myself to myself, socialise with my local friends or my partners friends in Lingig when we want to get away. Apparently I am crazy for hanging out in Lingig safety wise, but the only trouble I have had was finding some ganja in the ref in the boarding house we usually stay at, was it an attempted set up? Who knows. Luckily the first thing I did was load the ref up with beer so I found the ganja before anyone could get the police there.

My partner was orphaned when she was 2 months old, she was passed around different families as she grew up and worked her @ss off as a lowly nanny/maid through her teen years so we do not have family asking for money. I think that helps both of us enjoy a more peaceful life.

Move to Davao, give it a try with your bf, if he needs more of an expat community then try somewhere else, dont lock yourselves in to one place too early.

best of luck

[Reboot]

I hear there's a daily brownout in Davao. How much truth to that...and how long does it last?

 

 

[i am bob]

hehe...  true fact...  power is produced in the province here and shipped to the GMA when their power is low...  and we get brownouts while they enjoy their lights and karaokes...  funny...  only one brownout since a certain president started leading the election polls a while back...   hehe!  seriously, a lot of power plants this summer were also "down for maintenance" when power was needed the most for aircon...  and often went past their allotted inspection times...  i have a feeling that the people responsible won't be around much longer as it was a simple scheduling problem for a grade 3 elementary student and the so-called experts failed...  a lot of people who now have a say in things were not happy...

 

[scott h]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 3:15 PM, i am bob said:

and we get brownouts while they enjoy their lights and karaokes

I am good with that

[Gratefuled]

Come to Davao city and stay for a while. Check it out for yourself. If you have lived here before, then I doubt much if anything has changed except the inflation and crime. 

There are brownouts and when they hit the malls, its unbearable to shop and sweat. Some malls have backup power but some do not. There are also "water outs" where the water supply shuts off for sometimes up to 8 hours. That is why you may notice the large stainless steel water containers on some rooftops.

Yes, there are foreigners here. Many are just sex tourists and here for a short time. Others are retired expats who have their new family here where it is affordable. Others, like myself are here because wife refuses to leave her parents and emigrate to the states. 

Your boyfriend will find the weather here a lot like southern Florida, hot and humid day and night. He will compare the beaches to those in Florida and be disappointed. If he is old, he will feel right at home.