...enjoy A Low Cost Of Living In Asia

[ibemarshall]

I discovered this today and thought I would post. I found the full report interesting and worthy of the read-thru time.

the part related to the Philippines -

Cebu, Philippines: Rent for as little as $200 a month

Cambodia is just one highlight in Asia. For another low-cost-of-living option, consider Cebu in the Philippines. There you find the natural drama hundreds of beaches supply, plus all the modern infrastructure of Manila but on a much smaller, friendlier, more manageable scale. Yet you can live well for $1,000 a month.

Cebu City, on Cebu Island, is known as the “Queen City of the South.” and is, arguably, Asia’s best-kept secret. Postcards of the Philippines show Manila’s shopping district or the powdery, white sands of Boracay…never Cebu. Chances are, you’ve never heard of it.

The expats who have discovered Cebu, however, find that it offers the nation’s best overall value. In a country where your dollar stretches (and stretches and stretches), that is saying something. Locate Cebu on a map and it looks tiny. But don’t let that fool you—this place has hundreds of beaches, in addition to rocky mountains, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains.

As for the cost of living in Cebu, it’s really low. Many expats here live well on $1,000 to $2,000 a month…but with very little extra care and planning you can live on half as much.

Rent a two-bedroom, two-level townhome in Cebu for as little as $200 a month, or buy a new condo in the upscale business district for $150,000. If you’re happy to be 15 to 30 minutes from the city center, you can buy a local-style apartment for less than $60,000.

Internet and cell-phone service can be as low as $3 a month each (same goes for your water bill). Electricity will run you $40 to $80 a month, depending on air-conditioning usage.

With all the saving going on here, it’s no wonder most expats splurge on household help…you can hire a full-time maid for about $55 a month in Cebu. That’s not even the amazing part—maids here are more like personal assistants or household managers. They will do the supermarket shopping and run errands—like paying bills or picking up dry cleaning. And in addition to cleaning, washing, ironing, and organizing, they are happy to babysit or sew buttons or pretty much anything else you ask for help with.

When you consider all Cebu has to offer, you start to appreciate why people here are so relaxed. They have access to good, cheap health care and housing. They live in one of the most bio-diverse areas on the planet…and they have one of the region’s fastest-growing economies. Life here isn’t perfect, but it is blissful.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Jollygoodfellow

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Well ask me in about 6 months... I will let you know how it turns out for me ha ha.

[Dave Hounddriver]

Now there's a fellow who sees the glass as 3/4 full when even the rest of us optimists only see it half full. The article reads more like someones blog that a real news article in that it stretches every fact to the limit to give people what they want to hear. Hmmm. I guess news reporters do that too.

Wonder where I can buy those rose colored glasses.

[ibemarshall]

Try rosecoloredglasses.com or maybe rosecolouredglasses.com :bonk:

I have to agree with your observation Dave regarding the uber-optomistic tone...I delayed posting it as it was almost too "chamber of commerce'ish" but thought what the heck.

[Thomas]

Well. I don't live there yet, but several say 1000 USD is enough to live OK in the Philippines. It cost much less in other provinces, so it can be enough there, if not in Cebu :)

(From some statistics it seem to cost double in Manila compared to provinces, with Cebu in the middle in between.)

[Dave Hounddriver]

Well. I don't live there yet, but several say 1000 USD is enough to live OK in the Philippines.

You are right. Several do live in Cebu and other Philippine locales on that amount.

On the other hand, many, in fact the majority of expats I meet, cannot do it and it gives unreal expectations to people who have not yet been here. I have known people to get very frustrated when they move to Cebu and find out they cannot find "a two-bedroom, two-level townhome in Cebu for as little as $200 a month", at least not one they would feel comfortable living in. (Notice they said 'in Cebu' and not 'on Cebu' which means I am referring to being in the city proper rather than somewhere on Cebu Island.)

[tiger31]

well I pay $120 dollars for a 2 bed ground floor appartment here on mactan .the rentals are out there ya just gotta find them ,which can be difficult as people here don,t advertise very well .It tends to be word of mouth just wonder into the baranguys and ask the locals thats the best way to do it.

[tiger31]

Well. I don't live there yet, but several say 1000 USD is enough to live OK in the Philippines.

You are right. Several do live in Cebu and other Philippine locales on that amount.

On the other hand, many, in fact the majority of expats I meet, cannot do it and it gives unreal expectations to people who have not yet been here. I have known people to get very frustrated when they move to Cebu and find out they cannot find "a two-bedroom, two-level townhome in Cebu for as little as $200 a month", at least not one they would feel comfortable living in. (Notice they said 'in Cebu' and not 'on Cebu' which means I am referring to being in the city proper rather than somewhere on Cebu Island.)

if they can,t live on a 1000 bucks then I they have brought they,re western expectations with them from the west .living here is a whole different world ,if you want the western lifestyle then bring the money and live in the city .

[Old55]

I agree with Tiger..... Some can live a happy simple life on a small budget but it would be a major shift from most western lifestyles. In fact we have a few forum members who do so.

[Thomas]

Well. I don't live there yet, but several say 1000 USD is enough to live OK in the Philippines.

You are right. Several do live in Cebu and other Philippine locales on that amount.

On the other hand, many, in fact the majority of expats I meet, cannot do it and it gives unreal expectations to people who have not yet been here. I have known people to get very frustrated when they move to Cebu and find out they cannot find "a two-bedroom, two-level townhome in Cebu for as little as $200 a month", at least not one they would feel comfortable living in. (Notice they said 'in Cebu' and not 'on Cebu' which means I am referring to being in the city proper rather than somewhere on Cebu Island.)

They can use the "30-35 % "province discount" compared to Cebu, I talked about :)

(Btw I need less than 1300 USD /month living in Sweden where food costs are high, and it's cold so heating costs are higher than 300 USD / month in average, although I have a 6 rooms house. Except at startup, when needed to buy things after moving, I didn't use more than that either back when I earned as most. I have hobbies, which cost some when buying the equipent, but almost nothing to use (as e g billiard and a small sailing boat, so it isn't poor living. It's mainly an economic thinking and habbit thing to keep the costs low.)

So if looking around some - and send a Filipina to do most buying to avoid "kano prices" :) - then I suppose 1000 USD can be enough for an OK living.