Living on $800

[Art2ro]

Hello allI have just left Cebu city after spending 1 month there and I kept a record of most of what I spent.Rent 10000 pesosElectricity 3000pcable tv and internet 2000pWater 500pFood 3000pGas 300pToiletries 500pGym 500pMobile 100pHope this helps

That's only on a one month vacation! Try living here a few years, then your numbers will probably double, triple or even quadruple!

[piglett]

Hello allI have just left Cebu city after spending 1 month there and I kept a record of most of what I spent.Rent 10000 pesosElectricity 3000pcable tv and internet 2000pWater 500pFood 3000pGas 300pToiletries 500pGym 500pMobile 100pHope this helps

That's only on a one month vacation! Try living here a few years, then your numbers will probably double, triple or even quadruple!

what are the causes ????piglett Edited May 29, 2011 by piglett

[Dave Hounddriver]

Hello allI have just left Cebu city after spending 1 month there and I kept a record of most of what I spent.Rent 10 000 pesosElectricity 3000pcable tv and internet 2000pWater 500pFood 3000pGas 300pToiletries 500pGym 500pMobile 100pHope this helps

People will want to know where you stayed for one month to get rent of 10,000 Pesos. That is almost unheard of in the city of Cebu for a short time stay. I thought maybe a hotel but your Electric bill is normal for renting an apartment with one aircon. The cable tv and Internet are huge bills but I suppose you had to 'pay as you go' so that may come down a bit on long term. Food sounds like you were eating filipino style. On 100 pesos per day you don't get more than BBQ and rice.I have to say that these figures may tend to mislead the average member of this forum into thinking that living in Cebu is cheaper than it actually is. That is unless you want to live very, very frugal as in you have no money so you will go hungry and thus afford to live in Cebu.

[brock]

Their are lots of places where the rent is less than 10,000, You just have to know where to look

[Mr Lee]

Hello allI have just left Cebu city after spending 1 month there and I kept a record of most of what I spent.Rent 10 000 pesosElectricity 3000pcable tv and internet 2000pWater 500pFood 3000pGas 300pToiletries 500pGym 500pMobile 100pHope this helps

People will want to know where you stayed for one month to get rent of 10,000 Pesos. That is almost unheard of in the city of Cebu for a short time stay. I thought maybe a hotel but your Electric bill is normal for renting an apartment with one aircon. The cable tv and Internet are huge bills but I suppose you had to 'pay as you go' so that may come down a bit on long term. Food sounds like you were eating filipino style. On 100 pesos per day you don't get more than BBQ and rice.I have to say that these figures may tend to mislead the average member of this forum into thinking that living in Cebu is cheaper than it actually is. That is unless you want to live very, very frugal as in you have no money so you will go hungry and thus afford to live in Cebu.

I have to agree with Brock, there are a number of places a person can stay for about p10,000 a month and one of them member Happy listed HERE, and the good thing about places like that is that cable, electric, internet and water would be included, yet drinking water would be extra. As Dave said, I also have a problem with the amount listed for food, I do not think an average foreigner could eat on p100 a day, and p100 a month for phone would only be for someone who has hardly any one texting them, but if a phone is only used for emergencies, then I believe a person could get by on even less than that. I use about p300 a month but my wife uses p500 a month just for the Smart Unli call service of Smart to Smart, and then more for texts to other networks. I find the least expensive phone loads are the Smart p500 cards because they are good for 120 days and I believe give you 85 free text to other networks.

[piglett]

Their are lots of places where the rent is less than 10,000, You just have to know where to look

one of my wife's uncles rents a house rite in Manilahe pays p10,000 a month & it is a 2 story with 4 bedrooms upstairsone even has A/C but due to the cost they don't use it....he he he piglett

[Dave Hounddriver]

About the post where I mentioned it is hard to find the 10,000 per month apartment. My thoughts were that the poster said he only stayed for one month and also paid for electricity. That is the unusual part. I know of quite a few temporary lodging places for that budget but then the electric is most often included. If he stayed in a regular apartment then it must have been furnished, (no budget for furniture), and he did not pay the customary 3 months advance (unless he got the place for 3333/month).Forgive me for being skeptical but I find it unusual and I still think it gives visitors the impression that they can stay in Cebu cheaper than is usually possible. Let me just say that very, very few foreigners that I personally know, could stay in Cebu on that budget. BUT, yes I have seen it done. You can see those foreigner's around. They are notable by the lack of money spent for a haircut, shave, decent clothing etc.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Dave Hounddriver

[Jollygoodfellow]

Hello allI have just left Cebu city after spending 1 month there and I kept a record of most of what I spent.Rent 10 000 pesosElectricity 3000pcable tv and internet 2000pWater 500pFood 3000pGas 300pToiletries 500pGym 500pMobile 100pHope this helps

I think there are a few things missing but the OP did say most of what he spent.Travel cost,taxi/jeepney/bus?Entertainment unless one looked at four walls everydayOne month stay should mean a visa extension as well ?Others?

[sonjack2847]

Hello all I did not stare at four walls everyday hehe, but I left out entertainment as this is up to the individual.I can go to mango for a night out in a bar with my gf and spend P1000Taxi`s well I used to walk to the gym and if it was not too hot walk back, if too hot or tired taxi about P70.I went to VistaMar on Mactan and we spent the day using their pool and beach, had lunch with taxi rides I spent about P2200.When I went to Ayala to the cinema with food I spent about P1200I also went to Tambuli on mactan at the beach this cost P 1900 these are amounts as I remember them as I did not write them down.As for the Visa extension like an idiot I got this in the UK before I left and it cost me nearly P14000 with loss of earnings and getting a notary of the public to endorse my application.I think you could live for $1000 a month but you would have to be carefull. As there as I was only there a month I have no idea about longer term costs.

[sonjack2847]

Sorry to you all I have just noticed I put the wrong amonut for rent it was P14500, at the Calderon compound just up from Jollybee in Banawa but there are many places which are not so comfortable that are less exspensive, once again appologies for my mistake