How much?

[stevewool]

Been talking to a few expats who have been living in the Phils now for a few years.

And you know me, I will always ask about cost.
Yes it's down to each other to live within their means. Anyway, I was asking what it costs them and some say this and that and when I mention the figure I may have, some roll around the floor and say, "Yes, but it would be better if you had this much more".

I must say this, most are Yanks who say this.

Anyway, this chap sent me a private message and he said he has lived in the Phils for nearly 4 years, himself his partner and child too. They rent a 2-bedroom house and they have the usual bills too. They go out and they seem to have a good life too. Their monthly cost is £380.

Each to their own, but it's nice to hear from people who are there living their dream and at a cost that's within reach of many people too.

[tiger31]

Like I said before Steve, it,s all down to lifestyle - it,s basic living out here - and you can live on that amount. Your biggest bill is for electric, no heating required here lol. Water charges are laughable compared to the UK, cable tv is about the same and fuel is about 50 pesos a litre.

I spend 150 pesos a week for my trike. No doubt you,ll want a car but there,s no M.O.T. Insurance is cheap as chips and no tax either. You just register your car once a year.

If you live in Manila then prices shoot up, but otherwise it,s very cheap to live here.

[Michael Parnham]

Yes Steve, £380 will give you a comfortable lifestyle. As I've said before, we lived well on £830 a month and managed to save between £400/£500 per month, that included eating out frequently, also ferries to Siquijor and other transport costs regularly. We lived a decent life. Remember you're not buying lots of clothes and winter boots etc and your shopping bill is way, way less than what it is here!

[stevewool]

Thanks boys, so what you are saying Michael, Ems will not be buying any more shoes then

[Michael Parnham]

Thanks boys, so what you are saying Michael, Ems will not be buying any more shoes then

Well, Haviana Flip Flops p1000 once every 12 months!

[Michael Parnham]

The only place girls wear heels is to go to Church once a week for a couple of hours, so shoes will last years, trainers for going round shopping mall, flip flops nearly all the time!

[gm47]

Yes Steve, £380 will give you a comfortable lifestyle. As I've said before, we lived well on £830 a month and managed to save between £400/£500 per month, that included eating out frequently, also ferries to Siquijor and other transport costs regularly. We lived a decent life. Remember you're not buying lots of clothes and winter boots etc and your shopping bill is way, way less than what it is here!

£380 a month either means you own your own home outright or you living in the province or both !

Read up to date reports of costs. Most say at least £700 to live ok and about double that to live well.

Yes, I have lived there and my costs were soooo much higher than that. Yes, it was in Manila. Personally, I don't want to live in a nipa hut eating local produce only. Good luck to those that can

[imagine]

Thanks boys, so what you are saying Michael, Ems will not be buying any more shoes then

theres plenty of okay okay stores, Lita is quite happy buying from them ,shoes clothes bags ect, tho i like to treat her to new outfits ect when i want to

[imagine]

water bill is usualy the minimum charge 120 peso a month, electric normal usage about 200 maybe 300 peso, we can live on food costs per week of about 1000 peso, we eat well , oh this includes toiletories ect

i dont pay rent for property which is a bonus,
its difficult to give you more and exact, info as im out of track because of my building project,

but if i wasnt going to get any more income from renting the stores we building, and lita not working, and if my only income was my state pension in five years time, both of us could live quite comfortably,
iv learnt the best way to live economacly is not to keep converting the peso value for goods you would like to buy if you do you will keep thinking ooh thats cheap so you will be tempted to buy, learn to think in peso, then when something costs 2000 peso, you think oh thats expensive,

[imagine]

on costs, example my multy cab , 3 cylinder petrol, one cylinder oils up the spark plug,
iv been quoted for an overall, it includes, labour new pistons,new rings, new valves ect,
labour 2000 p total cost 7000 peso, work it out thats about £100.

how much in uk

[fred]

Another impossible question!! How much?
How much you like?
The truth is you will never know until you move here and get a good average for personal expenses for no less then a year.
Inflation here is increasing..No way around it.. And it will continue to increase year after year.
It used to be cheap here and in many ways it still is..Depends on what you expect for your money I guess.

[grahamw48]

I am definitely a Nipa hut man.

[jake]

electric normal usage about 200 maybe 300 peso

A month?
If we added another zero to that amount it would be the best electricity bill we have had in years!

[Michael Parnham]

A month?
If we added another zero to that amount it would be the best electricity bill we have had in years!

Your joking Jake!

[jake]

Moving to the Philippines because it is cheaper than your home country is a huge mistake in my opinion. There are plenty of other equally important things to consider before and after you make the move.

Have met a few foreigners over the years that didn't have a problem financially but left because they couldn't adapt.

[jake]

Your joking Jake!

Nope!
Without air con our bill would still be around 1,500 a month.

[Michael Parnham]

£380 a month either means you own your own home outright or you living in the province or both !

Read up to date reports of costs. Most say at least £700 to live ok and about double that to live well.

Yes, I have lived there and my costs were soooo much higher than that. Yes, it was in Manila. Personally, I don't want to live in a nipa hut eating local produce only. Good luck to those that can

We had a brand new two bedroom apartment Rent was p8000 per month and I won't eat local food, I ate almost everything I eat at home in UK, Bacon and egg, roast dinners with yorkshire pudding also found Camp coffee, Potatoes, baked beans ect!

[Michael Parnham]

Nope!
Without air con our bill would still be around 1,500 a month.

Never used aircon because it's not healthy, used to open front and rear doors during day and breeze passed right through apartment, also at night we had windows open and the air passed through the screens, it was good really!

[stevewool]

We are all different, and i understand that no matter how much you have , you have to like where you are,
Here in England we live very good and very cheap too, could even be cheaper if you get ride of the car and kids too,
The best thing i can say is i have a budget and what we will call home will do, but i will be happy most of the time, Stress well i hope to leave that here in England , but who knows

[Longweekend]

I lived there for 4 years, money was not really the issue it was adapting to the Philippine way of life and pace. In the end we left and moved to Africa....

[Terpe]

Moving to the Philippines because it is cheaper than your home country is a huge mistake in my opinion. There are plenty of other equally important things to consider before and after you make the move.

Have met a few foreigners over the years that didn't have a problem financially but left because they couldn't adapt.

I agree.

If you can't find any happiness in the UK you'd be pressed hard to fill the gap elsewhere. Generally.

[Michael Parnham]

I have said it before that the only two things that prevent me living in Philippines is no NHS and the unbearable heat 24/7!

[jake]

I have said it before that the only two things that prevent me living in Philippines is no NHS and the unbearable heat 24/7!

That's why some people have air con

[fred]

That's why some people have air con

We had a brand new two bedroom apartment Rent was p8000 per month and I won't eat local food, I ate almost everything I eat at home in UK, Bacon and egg, roast dinners with yorkshire pudding also found Camp coffee, Potatoes, baked beans ect!

Fortunately I eat what they eat,whether its Tinola,Adobo,Bulalo,tins of tuna if we dont have time to cook etc.. Everything with rice!
Occasionally we do a roast,cook pizza`s etc but if a person will not adapt to Filipino food then expect the grocery bill to rise by at least 2/300%.
The bacon and ham in supermarkets here is sweet and I`d rather not partake..YUK!!
The good stuff is produced by expats that make their own for selling and costs 500 per kilo minimum.
A small block of English cheese is about 250 Peso..Over a days wages for a local labourer.. 50.00 Pesos more!

[grahamw48]

I think you have to examine very carefully your motives for wanting to leave THIS country. If it's because you want to cut down on stress, then there are many straightforward ways to do that without moving to the Philippines (and then perhaps finding that you have just as much stress, but in different and unforeseen ways).

How about moving house , changing jobs, retiring early, just going to Phils for long holidays ?

We also have to consider the wishes of our partner; a lady whom we brought here with the promise, though maybe not spoken, of a new life for HER, where she could make the most of her new opportunities for personal development and her ability to support the extended family, as is the traditional Filipino way.

[stevewool]

I have always known I would leave this country one day, where who knows, but I do know that what ever funds that I may have by that date must be enough whereever it may be.

I do not want to be a burden on anyone or country, I would love to live with the people who are local too.

England, I feel, is not my home.

You are right Graham, I have to really think hard on what Ems wants too, that's why I will keep coming back asking the questions here after always speaking to Ems.

I have even tried cutting the budget from £500 TO £400 to send me if she stayed here - plus I would only charge her little rent too on MY house.

[Michael Parnham]

I think you have to examine very carefully your motives for wanting to leave THIS country. If it's because you want to cut down on stress, then there are many straightforward ways to do that without moving to the Philippines (and then perhaps finding that you have just as much stress, but in different and unforeseen ways).

How about moving house , changing jobs, retiring early, just going to Phils for long holidays ?

We also have to consider the wishes of our partner; a lady whom we brought here with the promise, though maybe not spoken, of a new life for HER, where she could make the most of her new opportunities for personal development and her ability to support the extended family, as is the traditional Filipino way.

Good Point Graham!

[Ako Si Jamie]

I have always known I would leave this country one day, where who knows, but I do know that whatever funds that I may have by that date must be enough whereever it may be.

I do not want to be a burden on anyone or country, I would love to live with the people who are local too.

England, I feel, is not my home.

You are right Graham, I have to really think hard on what Ems wants too, that's why I will keep coming back asking the questions here after always speaking to Ems.

I have even tried cutting the budget from £500 TO £400 to send me if she stayed here - plus I would only charge her little rent too on MY house.

Was your missus keen to move back to the Phils when you first had the idea, Steve? It must be a few years now since you originally brought up the topic of you guys emigrating, on here!

[raynaputi]

Nope!
Without air con our bill would still be around 1,500 a month.

Hahaha..that's what we pay (roughly) in Manila too before we had the aircon.. Now I don't know how much they pay coz all the bedrooms in the house have aircon, everyone has their own laptops/PC too. They don't use it all day though.

[Longweekend]

Have you ever thought of living in France? our plan is to buy a place over there so we will still be fairly close to our 3 x kids who go to uni over the coming 3 years. The locals are not the friendliest bunch but the climate below Limoges is nice and the countryside is beautiful. Also, the price of property is very reasonable, even a country cottage with a gite which would give you an income.....