Choosing a location to live low budget

[Alexander]

Arizona Kid thank you! I guess a lot of things got changed for last 14 years... 

Anyway I'd like to live somewhere not far away from the sea, like i do now.

Btw, what you guys can say about Dumaguete city? It's pretty popular among expats as i fugured out.

[davewe]

There are a number of guys on this very forum who live on a budget of around $1000/month or even less, so it can be done. Ultimately you know what you have to have, what you'd like to have and things that aren't necessary.

So dependant on what you really need you can make it in a provincial area or even smaller cities like Dumaguete.

Since you work online I assume Internet speed and quality might be important to you. That can limit you as to where to live.

[Alexander]

I'd like to live in a small city, yeah. Internet connection is needed, but 4-5 mbps of stable connection is enough. I'll arrive in April only, so i have some time now to choose.

Now i'm checking out the information about Palawan, Dumaguete, Iloilo... Are there any differences of costs of living there? I mean in common - average prices for rent, etc.

[Viking]

In this site, you can compare prices between different citys in the Philippines.

As you understand it not 100% reliable but you can get an estimation about the cost in different places.

You can also compare to other countries, not only COSTs, but many other things too.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Philippines

[Dave Hounddriver]

On 12/27/2018 at 4:49 PM, Alexander said:

Btw, what you guys can say about Dumaguete city? It's pretty popular among expats as i fugured out.

I can refer you to a guy who is living in Pattaya, Thailand who is a good friend of mine.  He lived in Dumaguete for 2 years before moving there.  Better yet, here is a quote from a Facebook message he sent me with his opinion of the place compared to Dumaguete.  His opinion is I should move there.  We are both living off the same budget as you are proposing.

I think you are falling for the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" scenario.

Quote

. . . . . Thailand is 50 times nicer then philippines.   Food is 100 times beter and cheaper.   Housing is beter and cheaper.    Services are more expensive but worth it.   Very profesional    The mechanic knows what he is doing.  the dentist has more skill,   hospitals herre are better then in usa and at 15% of the cost.

6

DISCLAIMER:  This is just the opinion of one American, who lived in Dumaguete for 2 years and has now lived in Pattaya for two years and this is how he compares the two.  Your mileage will vary.

[Mike J]

On 12/27/2018 at 9:47 AM, Gratefuled said:

I wish my wife was Thai

Has anyone seen Ed since his wife read this post? 

[Old55]

I think Alex mentioned in his first post here that the Thai language barrier and culture became a deal breaker for him. 

I would never suggest my wife were Thai or that Thai ladies are hot. My wife reads this forum time to time and I don'[t want to end up face down in a paddy like Ed. 

.

[Alexander]

2 Dave Hounddriver thank you! I live on Phuket, but i know Pattaya well. IMHO that's nice to relax and hang around there, but Pattaya isn't a good place to live. It's much cheaper than Phuket, but... heh. Anyway that's just my opinion.

10 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I think you are falling for the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" scenario.

Yeah, you're right. Probably i won't like Philippines comparing to Thailand, probably i will, but i know i will regret if i won't try. Btw, getting visas in Thailand is getting more and more difficult year by year, especially if talking about tourist or education ones. If the worst scenario will go on, i can move from Philippines back to Thailand or somewhere else  But anyway i'd like to try.

6 hours ago, Old55 said:

I think Alex mentioned in his first post here that the Thai language barrier and culture became a deal breaker for him. 

That's right too. I can speak thai a little bit, and i love thai culture (most parts of it), but language is really difficult. Once i've asked for a kilo of bananas on market... I mean, i thought that i asked for bananas. In fact i asked for kilo of penises >.< These two words sounds very similar 

So now i'm interested in 3 locations at all — Puerto Princesa, Iloilo and Dumaguete

[Gratefuled]

My wife reads my posts here. I hide no secrets from her. I would just rather her to be a Thai because I just happen to like Thailand better than here for many reasons.

I might add that it's not because of the people. The Filipino people are great and I've made lots of friends. I just happen to love Thailand. The food, the country the culture, the weather up north. 

Edited December 29, 2018 by Gratefuled
post script

[Gratefuled]

18 hours ago, Old55 said:

I think Alex mentioned in his first post here that the Thai language barrier and culture became a deal breaker for him. 

I would never suggest my wife were Thai or that Thai ladies are hot. My wife reads this forum time to time and I don'[t want to end up face down in a paddy like Ed. 

.

I agree with you about the ladies. Both Thai and Filipinos are beautiful. My wife is not jealous or insecure and I do not have a "roving eye".

Very funny, your post.