Retiring To Philippines... ?

[Michael H]

Hi All!

I'm new to the forum, just wanted to start with a friendly greeting!

As I am now getting any younger (seems to be going round a bit...) I've started thinking about where to retire. I'm currently living in Zurich and although the quality of life is good its too expensive to retire here and I would prefer to go somewhere where my money will go further and the weather is nicer, and more consistent.

Currently considering Spain or the Philippines. I was just wondering how you are finding it over there? Any regrets? Major pro's and con's?

I'll read through the existing posts which will no doubt also give me a few hints on this :)

Cheers,

Michael

[Guy F.]

Welcome to this forum Michael H. You have chosen well.

There is a wealth of relevant information here. It's going to take a while for you to sift through all of it. I hope you like to read.

[hk blues]

24 minutes ago, Michael H said:

Hi All!

I'm new to the forum, just wanted to start with a friendly greeting!

As I am now getting any younger (seems to be going round a bit...) I've started thinking about where to retire. I'm currently living in Zurich and although the quality of life is good its too expensive to retire here and I would prefer to go somewhere where my money will go further and the weather is nicer, and more consistent.

Currently considering Spain or the Philippines. I was just wondering how you are finding it over there? Any regrets? Major pro's and con's?

I'll read through the existing posts which will no doubt also give me a few hints on this :)

Cheers,

Michael

It's great, terrible, so-so here - and that's just the last half-hour!

Joking apart, it's very difficult to define pros and cons as it's very much individual.  Example - for me, the lack of an ex-pat community in my area is more of a pro than a con but that's probably a con for most. 

Any reason to narrow it down to Spain and the Philippines - quite different apart from the obvious historical connection.  

[Mike J]

Welcome.  Here now going on eight years and no regrets.  You will need to "go with the flow" but that may also be the case in Spain.  Many of us are married to Filipinas and that brings a lot of us here.  For the most part Filipinos are very accepting and welcoming to expats in my experience. 

[manofthecoldland]

 

Hello Michael, and welcome aboard.

FYI

Under the forum of 'Life as an Expat' you will find this thread.

https://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/31214-what-do-you-not-love-about-living-in-the-philippines/

As you can see, it focuses on the cons.

The first posting, however, contains a link to an earlier thread entitled almost the same wording but without the not". It contains some of the pros....just click on it.

I am sure that there are several youtube videoblogs that focus on this theme as well.

Its a start.....

 

[Michael H]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

It's great, terrible, so-so here - and that's just the last half-hour!

Joking apart, it's very difficult to define pros and cons as it's very much individual.  Example - for me, the lack of an ex-pat community in my area is more of a pro than a con but that's probably a con for most. 

Any reason to narrow it down to Spain and the Philippines - quite different apart from the obvious historical connection.  

Haha thanks for the insight!

Spain is where I always envisaged moving, to have been on holiday there several times, like the way of life, cost of living etc and the weather :)

I'm dating a Filipina at the moment and was there on holiday for a couple of weeks last year so have started considering it as an alternative and it seems like a good viable option

[Michael H]

Thanks for the welcome, will be popping back in frequently, seems like a useful and friendly group! :)

PS Expat community is important to me in Switzerland, but maybe because the locals aren't so easy to make friends with, they are friendly but kind of keep in their own circle of friends... 

[graham59]

Get yourself over here mate.

You'll love it...especially as a retiree (you even get the annual increments on a British State Pension).

Bear in mind though, when involved with a Filipina here, her family will always come first, and they will always need money.  You need to learn how to deal with that. 

Also, consider future health implications, as it all has to be paid for here.  

[Mike J]

9 hours ago, graham59 said:

Also, consider future health implications, as it all has to be paid for here.  

You bring up an excellent point!  When, or if, you show up at the emergency ward you better have a credit card or a fist full of cash. 

[sonjack2847]

7 minutes ago, Mike J said:

You bring up an excellent point!  When, or if, you show up at the emergency ward you better have a credit card or a fist full of cash. 

Or phillhealth at the least. @Michael H just be forewarned things don`t work here like they do in the west. For an example my friend had to queue up yesterday to pay an extra on his water bill didn`t take very long but it was only 6 pesos and he had already waited to pay the main bill. Everything here takes time and you have to be very patient. Apart from that, for me, the pros outweigh the cons.  Welcome to the forum.