Lets Compare Other Costs Of Living

[Mr Lee]

Cebu verses where we come from. Note, I am using p46 to one dollar for comparison. Cable in Florida, US is $66 a month or $792 US a year, that is about p36,000 for our cable in the US and with no premium channels. Cable in Cebu is P7800 a year which is about $170 US and that includes HBO, Cinamax, Star Movies, CNN, BBC and others not in the US but does not include many of the other non pay channels we get in the US and I do miss the US local news in English and have to watch that on the Internet to keep up with what is going on there. Of course not everyone cares what is going on back in the places we came from but since my pensions are US based, I do care.

[Jake]

Excellent comparison Lee!It now allows me to plan my budget based on basic items versus nice to have items.Thank you sir.Respectfully -- Jake

[Art2ro]

Our cost of living in Sta. Rosa, LagunaThe cost of living will always depend on what part of the Philippines where one lives. But here's our average monthly expenses:11,000.00 monthly mortgage loan on a bal of P450,000.00 (6 yrs left to pay) 28,000.00 grocery bill: food, house cleaning stuff, toiletries etc 10,000.00 prescription drugs (I have diabetes type 2) 5,000.00 average electric bill with 1 hp air conditioning running 24/7 1,700.00 phone line with 1 meg DSL internet connection 2,500.00 live-in or live-out house keeper 1,000.00 home owner association 1,500.00 gas for my little Toyota, once a week driving 8 miles 1,500.00 cellphone prepaid cards (texting only) 750.00 property tax (house & lot) 500.00 water bill 425.00 basic cable TVP62,375.00 average total monthly expenses** Equals to $1,386.00 a month (P45.00 exchange rate) not including car maintenance if my car ever craps out again! Note: Here's some other expenses not included on my list: If you have a new vehicle, comprehensive auto insurance is about P35,000.00 a year. For older cars, it's only P3,500.00 a year with only liability coverage. Home insurance for a 3million insurance coverage varies, P10,000.00 to P20,000.00 a year.Private schools, tuition fees also varies, P10,000.00 to P20,000.00 per semester.House rent, varies too depending on location, P15,000.00 to P35,000.00 per month

Edited April 15, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[Jake]

Our cost of living in Sta. Rosa, LagunaThe cost of living will always depend on what part of the Philippines where one lives. But here's our average monthly expenses:11,000.00 monthly mortgage loan on a bal of P450,000.00 (6 yrs left to pay) 28,000.00 grocery bill: food, house cleaning stuff, toiletries etc 10,000.00 prescription drugs (I have diabetes type 2) 5,000.00 average electric bill with 1 hp air conditioning running 24/7 1,700.00 phone line with 1 meg DSL internet connection 2,500.00 live-in or live-out house keeper 1,000.00 home owner association 1,500.00 gas for my little Toyota, once a week driving 8 miles 1,500.00 cellphone prepaid cards (texting only) 750.00 property tax (house & lot) 500.00 water bill 425.00 basic cable TVP62,375.00 average total monthly expenses** Equals to $1,386.00 a month (P45.00 exchange rate) not including car maintenance if my car ever craps out again! Note: Here's some other expenses not included on my list: If you have a new vehicle, comprehensive auto insurance is about P35,000.00 a year. For older cars, it's only P3,500.00 a year with only liability coverage. Home insurance for a 3million insurance coverage varies, P10,000.00 to P20,000.00 a year.Private schools, tuition fees also varies, P10,000.00 to P20,000.00 per semester.House rent, varies too depending on location, P15,000.00 to P35,000.00 per month

Thank you Art -- tuition fees for my two teenagers may put me over the edge. I guess I have to sacrifice drinking less San Magoo.Respectfully -- Jake

[Art2ro]

Our cost of living if we were to maintain a 2 bdrm 2 bath apt in California$1,200.00 rent (water & cable included) 500.00 prescription drugs 500.00 Grocery bill 300.00 entertainment, cloths 150.00 gas & electricity 100.00 auto ins 200.00 gas 120.00 TRICARE medical/medicare ins 100.00 term life ins$3,170.00 approx monthly expenses in California,if we were to maintain a 2 bdrm, 2 bath apt there! $1,386.00 is our average monthly cost of living in the Philippines today! No way can we maintain two homes, not enough of a financial cushion for emergencies!

Edited April 15, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[Inspector]

Only thing to remember, comparing Western countries to the Philippines in this regard is sort of like comparing apples to oranges.As a quick example, take cable. What you pay versus what you get can't be compared. I was able to get 100 plus HIGH DEF channels, and channels I actually watched. Sport packages? None. If my service went down, bam...fixed. Internet? 100 mb cable modem vs DSl and 2? Electric more expensive here, power shortages, brown outs...can air con an entire house in Arizona versus a cost of 2 small bedrooms here. Want to eat western...it will cost you more here. Sure, it is cheaper in some areas, but I read somewhere which is true...if you want to live like a westerner, it will cost you more then in your western country. The only thing I splurge is in food....the other limitations are expected.

Edited April 15, 2010 by Inspector

[Gold Heart]

Cebu verses where we come from. Note, I am using p46 to one dollar for comparison.Cable in Florida, US is $66 a month or $792 US a year, that is about p36,000 for our cable in the US and with no premium channels.Cable in Cebu is P7800 a year which is about $170 US and that includes HBO, Cinamax, Star Movies, CNN, BBC and others not in the US but does not include many of the other non pay channels we get in the US and I do miss the US local news in English and have to watch that on the Internet to keep up with what is going on there. Of course not everyone cares what is going on back in the places we came from but since my pensions are US based, I do care. Phone Bill in Cebu is p19,800 for the year including dslPhone bill in Florida including dsl is $780 or p35,880Water in Florida averages around $600 a year p27,600Water in Cebu averages p 600 a month or p7200 a year average and then we would have to add drinking water which would be about p3900, so in total p11,1000cell phone in US costs me about $800 for my wife's phone and mine which averages p36,800Cell phone in Cebu averages p1500 a month for two or about p18,000 but we text more and talk less here except for the special of talk all you want which my wife uses one or two times a month when available.Property taxes for our small home in Florida cost us about $2200 which is about p101,200 Property taxes for our condo cost us about p9000 a year but to be fair, our condo is 843 square feet or a little over 80 sq meters and is about half the size of our home in the US and there is only a small portion of land taxes included in the condo, but condo life here has been our choice and not everyone would wish to live in a condo, so it is not really a fair comparrison, so maybe others could list their home taxes where they are in the Philippines.Maintenance in Florida is about $1500 for the year which would be about p69,000 but again would not be fair because it includes many things it does not include in Cebu.Maintenance in Cebu is about p26,000 but also includes things we do not get in the US. Then one must take into account that we do not need a car while here which saves us about $1200 a year which is about p55,200, which we no doubt pay in taxi and other transportation fees in Cebu anyway, but we pay no gasoline, maintenance on the vehicle and no depreciation on the vehicle, so all in all life is less expensive in Cebu when compared to a simple life in Florida US, and I am not going to go into food costs because we eat out a lot in both places, but I am sure that food costs overall in restaurants here are probably about half of what they are in Florida. I would like to point out that you do give up a lot by moving to the Philippines compared to a first world country such as most services here like police and fire are not as good in Cebu and the roads in the US are probably 80% better than the roads in Cebu, and it has often been debated that health care here is not as good but thankfully I have not had to find out first hand. So I hope some of the above gives some of you something to compare with.So all, is life less expensive for you where you are verses where you were from? And to those who have not moved to the Philippines yet, how does my figures compare to where you live now?

Here is my actual budget and observations about cost differences with the US. I'm refining this budget as I learn.Lower:Cell Phone, broadband, Cable, Health Insurance (1/2 the cost), Help/helpers, public transportation, services - lawn, pool maintenance, etc. HigherGym, private school (required), electricity, quality housing compared to Raleigh NC.Everything else is about a wash to me.

[Gold Heart]

Only thing to remember, comparing Western countries to the Philippines in this regard is sort of like comparing apples to oranges.As a quick example, take cable. What you pay versus what you get can't be compared. I was able to get 100 plus HIGH DEF channels, and channels I actually watched. Sport packages? None. If my service went down, bam...fixed. Internet? 100 mb cable modem vs DSl and 2? Electric more expensive here, power shortages, brown outs...can air con an entire house in Arizona versus a cost of 2 small bedrooms here. Want to eat western...it will cost you more here. Sure, it is cheaper in some areas, but I read somewhere which is true...if you want to live like a westerner, it will cost you more then in your western country. The only thing I splurge is in food....the other limitations are expected.

You are right. Using your cable example, HBO here is not the same HBO in the US. It appears to be a special version showing old movies. However, the cost for basic service with Satellite or cable with local channels is very expensive in the US compared to here. The one plus here for many of us not from AZ or Florida is we have no heating costs ... other than hot water.

[Art2ro]

From what I understand that here in the P.I. doesn't have HDTV Cable, but what they call a digitized signal! I guess it will be awhile until HDTV will be available! One thing I don't like is that all the TV or movie programs are censored! No big deal! I download most of the movies I watch from the internet anyway! :thumbs-up-smile:

Edited April 16, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[Inspector]

From what I understand that here in the P.I. doesn't have HDTV Cable, but what they call a digitized signal! I guess it will be awhile until HDTV will be available! One thing I don't like is that all the TV or movie programs are censored! No big deal! I download most of the movies I watch from the internet anyway! :thumbs-up-smile:

Yeah, and not quite sure why they are trying to sell the big plasma and LCD sets. I shipped a 32 inch LCD and that works well for my PS3 HD bluray, but it would be nice to watch some sports in HD. Oh well, Manila started getting some supposedly. I heard the last Manny fight was broadcast here in HD...in Manila. Not sure if that was true, but that would be nice. I was watching a Jay and Silent Bob movie the other day, not because I liked the flick, but was curious to watch the editing they had to do. It was funny as hell, they would silence the fecks, but he would go on about blowing ____ and the rest of his lovely tirades...made it silly to even to edit those words out when he was saying FAR worst. I guess the censors either did not understand, or allowed chicken sucking. Guess all they program out is the f word. :565: