High budget family expat living - What's it like?

[Peaceful John]

Hello Phil and welcome to the forum.  I won't spend time repeating was everyone has stated already, but please put all of their comments together and take them to heart.  Making a move here as you have described (with children, etc.), is a major event, with numerous complications and rules that are elusive and change by the minute.  In my opinion, to have a successful life here you must  be very flexible, and extremely patient.  Many of the laws and rules here are designed to not allow foreigners to take advantage of the country and the mainly passive population. So the laws can be very frustrating and make virtually no sense, but follow them or trouble follows.  In regards to your love of bike riding, I share this love with you, but I do not attempt to enjoy it here.  Most of the locals lack driving skills and in a report I read today, the government estimates over 50% of the active drivers do not have drivers license.  The law of the road is....first one to the intersection wins and coming across someone driving in your lane going in the opposite direction is very common.  It is extremely dangerous on the open roads here and accidents is one of the leading causes of "unplanned deaths" here.  Once you move here, you will have to wait around a year to get a drivers license, but you can drive on your current license for 30 days (but check on that to ensure its still valid).  In regards to children, I have 2 and they attend private schools.  Very expensive, but no way would I allow them to attend public schools (approximately 140,000 pesos plus uniforms, special fees, meals, and supplies).  Philippine schools are rated some of the worst schools in the Asian region, and even the private schools are rated low, but they are better than the public.  There is a few of the specialized schools that are much better, but that's usually because they design there own curriculum based on international standards, and not Philippine.  We hire tutors for our children, again, expensive, but very important to us.  As far as your budget, if your spouse is not Philippine, then you will most likely pay a higher foreigner price for most everything, with some exceptions (i.e. groceries, etc.,).   Your place on the beach is doable, but might be a bit hard to find, but doable, but it will not be cheap, unless it's an open air place with bamboo or thin walls, no ac, but you can find better places, just be patient and keep looking.  Remember, most people here don't list homes or property in the paper, online, etc.  It's mainly word of mouth, the exception would be the major cities (Manila, Cebu, Davao, etc.) Prices for rent or purchases for homes or land will be higher if they know you are a foreigner.  My wife is local so she always does the negotiating with me completely out of the picture.  Example, my wife approached a family about a nice piece of property they wanted to sell.  They quoted her 850,000 pesos ( around $18,000).  When we met with them a week later, and I was with my wife, the price was now 1,900,000 pesos ($40,000).  My wife ask why, and they said they "misspoke before".  You will find that the word "misspoke" is a common word used here, especially by elected officials, who don't want to explain conflicting things they have said in the past.  Last thing I will comment on, I'm sure there might be areas in the provinces that you can jump on your bike and ride to the wind... but since the pandemic started, I haven't a clue where those places are.  Most of the country is locked down and "bubbled", so traveling from place to place is virtually impossible.  But from what I have heard.......Cebu is the best place currently (but I'm sure many will disagree). One last FYI.... Your monthly income is adequate to have a comfortable life here, but as with anyplace, you must budget it or it will be gone quickly.  The times of everything is cheap and live like a king, no longer exist. If you live and eat live a local, life is cheap. But if you live and eat like a foreigner, life is expensive here.  Foreigners love their comforts, and they usually take electricity.  My monthly electric bill is 16,000 pesos plus ($325).  But again, I'm a spoiled foreigner  I apologize for the gloomy message my friend, but I feel it's important to communicate what you will experience when you are here..........and keep in mind, watching the YouTube flicks showing the paradise and "Born Free" bike rides, are a very small depiction of life here.  They get paid based on how many people view their videos, so keep that in mind.  It can be a beautiful, blessed place, but you must transition to the way of life here. Good luck to you Sir, and God Bless.

JWS

Edited May 29, 2021 by Peaceful John

[phillo123]

Thank you everyone. 

 

I'm leaning more towards Thailand now with visits to Philippines once COVID is sorted. 

Once we have visited the Phillipines we'll make a decision. 

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, phillo123 said:

Thank you everyone. 

 

I'm leaning more towards Thailand now with visits to Philippines once COVID is sorted. 

Once we have visited the Phillipines we'll make a decision. 

 

1 hour ago, Peaceful John said:

The times of everything is cheap and live like a king, no longer exist. If you live and eat live a local, life is cheap. But if you live and eat like a foreigner, life is expensive here. 

I have no idea on whether Thailand measures up better, but if you take nothing else that has been said on board (not that I'm saying this will be the case) at least take Peaceful John's comment above to heart.  Plenty will tell you otherwise, but it's really the case.

[Paul Hobbs]

           I guess I'll throw my 2 cents in. I will be living on around the same budget as you when I move to the Phillipines. I have chosen Bohol as my initial destination. Beatiful beaches, good diving, alot of restaurants and rents are pretty affordable. I have my eye on a 1400 sq ft condo about a mile from the beach that rents for around $800 month. It's in a resort and has 2 pools and a restaurant on site. The draw for most people {myself included} are the Filipino people. They are supposed to be extremely friendly, and english is widely spoken. The language was the tie breaker with Thialand for me. Unless you speak Thai or pick up languages alot quicker than me, you will pretty much be limited to speaking with other ex-pats. Also, if religion is of any concern, the majority of Filipino's are Christian (Catholic).

         I have never been to Thailand, but just based on what I know about it, I'm thinking the Phillipines is a better choice for a family. I have no children, but there are numerous vloggers who do. Find them and e-mail them questions or contact someone on the forum who has kids. They will probably be happy to help. One that I follow is called "Eight miles from home". They have a young daughter around 4-5 yo. My understanding is you can get a Nanny/cook/housekeeper for around $200-300 a month. I think, based on what you initially wrote, that the Phillipines will be a good fit for you except for the fast car and motorcycle part. However, if you like off roading...I have seen numerous vlogs on people doing all day 4 wheeler trips. Kayaking seems to be really big there too.

 

Good luck.....Hope whatever you pick ends up being great!

[Jollygoodfellow]

3 hours ago, Paul Hobbs said:

Good luck.....Hope whatever you pick ends up being great!

I think he choose Thailand as he has not been back to the forum since June.