Bundy Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Owning our house and vehicle, we live on around $800 a month here in Carcar and haven't changed too much from living in Australia. The biggest change is that we are both now getting healthier :thumbsup: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewool Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 so when some of you say owning your own house over there, what is the price you paid, whats the price now you would pay, is it a big place or just right, the running cost too,when you look on some site selling property they do look so cheap compared to the uk but are they, you know the saying you get what you pay for, is 2 million peso to cheap is 3 million better, or is it still best to build your own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger31 Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 so when some of you say owning your own house over there, what is the price you paid, whats the price now you would pay, is it a big place or just right, the running cost too,when you look on some site selling property they do look so cheap compared to the uk but are they, you know the saying you get what you pay for, is 2 million peso to cheap is 3 million better, or is it still best to build your own steve when you come out here and look at the quality of the building you,ll understand why a lot of properties sound cheap .on the whole they are built using hollow breeze blocks when dropped will smash into a million pieces,the roofs are made from corrigated tin sheets ,the windows are usually cheap alluminum cheap frames .some of the houses will be built to american or austrailian standards but they will reflect that in the price.you can build your own house here very cheaply depending on what quality you wnat your materials to be .labour charges are around 200 to 300 pesos a day for a tradesman so you can see for yourself its very cheap to build here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 when some of you say owning your own house over there, what is the price you paid, whats the price now you would pay, is it a big place or just right, the running cost too,when you look on some site selling property they do look so cheap compared to the uk but are they When some of us say owning our own home we mean buying a house for the wife that we will, of course, share with her. It means if anything goes wrong you will walk away with nothing so we look for low cost, low end housing. My philosophy is to buy nothing I cannot walk away from because there is a fair to middlin' chance that will happen one day. Remember that you only get what you pay for. Remember that you can never own property as a foreigner. Others throw caution to the wind and build the same kind of house they would build in a first world country. That kind of house has a similar price tag to what you would pay in the west. In many cases it is astounding that people pay more for houses here than they would in Canada or the US. Example, check out what it would cost you for a house and lot in Amara Subdivision near the Liloan lighthouse (Parola). It could easily cost you 30 million pesos. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 when some of you say owning your own house over there, what is the price you paid, whats the price now you would pay, is it a big place or just right, the running cost too,when you look on some site selling property they do look so cheap compared to the uk but are they When some of us say owning our own home we mean buying a house for the wife that we will, of course, share with her. It means if anything goes wrong you will walk away with nothing so we look for low cost, low end housing. My philosophy is to buy nothing I cannot walk away from because there is a fair to middlin' chance that will happen one day. Remember that you only get what you pay for. Remember that you can never own property as a foreigner. Others throw caution to the wind and build the same kind of house they would build in a first world country. That kind of house has a similar price tag to what you would pay in the west. In many cases it is astounding that people pay more for houses here than they would in Canada or the US. Example, check out what it would cost you for a house and lot in Amara Subdivision near the Liloan lighthouse (Parola). It could easily cost you 30 million pesos. But legaly a kano can own: /100% of one condomium /100% of a house (lease the land on a many years contract) /40% of the land in SOME cases (as part owner of a company, but there are some conditions, it's NOT allowed to make it ONLY for the land, need to involve enough business reason to have the company too). NOTE! Wife is counted as yourself =Anti dummy law. - Material cost much, but work is much cheaper, so I suppouse it's possible to build cheaper, if find good workers - NOT just find a developer, who have added much profit for himself :) Concerning issolation need it's less difference between 20-25 C and 40 C than 20-25 C and minus 30 C :) I haven't been in either of the 1.0 and 1.5 mill kano houses I told about, so I don't know quality, but they look very good at the photos. But I know some very nice houses built in Thailand, where salaries are higher, for less than 1.5 mill (recounted to pesos. The contractor is brother to mother) and 1.7 mill (150 m2, with space for additional 50m2 at the second floor. Leading the contruction themselves. Wife did some work as painting and was there checking the employed.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaku Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) 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.) I've seen questions similar to this on a number of forums. It isn't that difficult to find the answer yourself with a little effort. Most of us will have to make lifestyle changes to live on that amount. Chances are you will too. Step 1: Rental $500 (includes utilities) Where you live today (assuming it isn't some place like New York City or downtown San Francisco), create a budget of no more than $500. Use your local resources and find places to rent within your budget. Where I live near Houston, Texas I can find acceptable apartments in the $400 range. Visit these places. Ask yourself, would I be able to adjust to living here? Get an estimate of utility costs from the rental agent (and other residents if possible). Utilities in my area for a one bedroom can be as low as $125 with care about AC usage. Utility costs in the Philippines tend to run on the high side for similar usage (poor insulation and high KW costs). There's little likelihood housing quality will be what you were accustomed to back home on a budget like yours. Step 2: Food Budget $200 Most likely you'll have to change your eating habits. You'll be cooking at home more and eating out less. You'll be eating different foods from what you're used to. When you do eat out, practice buy buying off the value menu at your local fast food outlet. This is something you can try without relocating. Test yourself. If you fail you've answered your own question already. Step 3: Transportation $100 Starting walking, using public transportation or riding your bike to most places whenever possible. With a budget of $1000 you won't be taking taxis or driving. Step 4: Miscellaneous $200 You will have monthly visa renewal fees, laundry, phone load, medical (medical cost in the Philippines usually are much lower but you'll have to pay for everything yourself) and other miscellaneous costs. Note: Unmarried expats have to leave the country every other year or so. This is a nother expense. Fortunately there are cheap flights out. Set money aside for it. Now - be honest - can you live for $1,000 a month? If you can't get by on close to that amount where you are right now, you've already answered your own question. There's no security network in the Philippines (food stamps, food banks, free meals, handouts, etc.). You're on your own. Do you have $10,000 socked away in an emergency fund? You do not want to be caught low on funds in a third world country. Edited November 7, 2012 by kaku 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curley Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Well said Kaku, I do believe that many people take the "Live like a King on $1,000" too literally. If it was an ordinary Fillipino on 3,000 to 6,000 Pesos a month salary then THEY could live like a King on $1,000 a month, but the average Westerner? NO! To my mind the biggest single difference between a middle income Fllipino and a Westerner is the standard of accommodation that is acceptable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) 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.) I've seen questions similar to this on a number of forums. It isn't that difficult to find the answer yourself with a little effort. Most of us will have to make lifestyle changes to live on that amount. Chances are you will too. Well. Except when I move longer, so I will need to buy "startup" things, I have no problem living rather nice for just a bit more than 1000 USD/month in Sweden either :) (I have many hobbies, which has costs to buy equipment when starting, but cost (almost) nothing to do, so I need almost no money for amusement. The easy/cheap movable things I plan to bring when I move.) Step 1: Rental $500 (includes utilities) Where you live today (assuming it isn't some place like New York City or downtown San Francisco), create a budget of no more than $500. Use your local resources and find places to rent within your budget. Where I live near Houston, Texas I can find acceptable apartments in the $400 range. Visit these places. Ask yourself, would I be able to adjust to living here? Get an estimate of utility costs from the rental agent (and other residents if possible). Utilities in my area for a one bedroom can be as low as $125 with care about AC usage. Utility costs in the Philippines tend to run on the high side for similar usage (poor insulation and high KW costs). There's little likelihood housing quality will be what you were accustomed to back home on a budget like yours. Here is heating costs very high, because it's cold much time of the year, but my 6 room house in the countryside cost just same as a one room appartment in the capital city where I grew up. I prefer rural areas. Step 2: Food Budget $200 Most likely you'll have to change your eating habits. You'll be cooking at home more and eating out less. You'll be eating different foods from what you're used to. When you do eat out, practice buy buying off the value menu at your local fast food outlet. This is something you can try without relocating. Test yourself. If you fail you've answered your own question already. Yes, I will have to change some eating habbits, because of missing raw material, but it's an advantage I like fruit and vegs which cost much more where I live now. I find it boring to go out eating anyway :) Step 3: Transportation $100 Starting walking, using public transportation or riding your bike to most places whenever possible. With a budget of $1000 you won't be taking taxis or driving. I prefer driving myself before taxis anyway, and - except if I will chose to start a business which need moving - I will work from home and just need transports within bicycle distans normaly. Step 4: Miscellaneous $200 You will have monthly visa renewal fees, laundry, phone load, medical (medical cost in the Philippines usually are much lower but you'll have to pay for everything yourself) and other miscellaneous costs. Yes, Visa costs, but less when have married. Laundry costs when buying the washing mashine, but very litle after that. Yes to the rest. Note: Unmarried expats have to leave the country every other year or so. This is a nother expense. Fortunately there are cheap flights out. Set money aside for it. I expect to decide to marry within a year :) Now - be honest - can you live for $1,000 a month? If you can't get by on close to that amount where you are right now, you've already answered your own question. There's no security network in the Philippines (food stamps, food banks, free meals, handouts, etc.). You're on your own. Do you have $10,000 socked away in an emergency fund? You do not want to be caught low on funds in a third world country. I don't know how much I can bring, depending much of how much I will get for my house, but I DON'T expect I will have such amount left, after moving, marrying and start business. My perhaps future wife has saved to an own house and land already, so house building can wait if necesary. In different from what many tell about Filipinas, she try to LOWER the costs I aim at :) (=Smaller house. Start some business which cost less to start.) BUT I will probably NOT want to start a LOW cost business, because then can often much more Filipins copy me. Higher investment cost = less can afford to copy. (I'm not talking about very much start cost for business. I guess between 150 000p to 1 500 000. Perhaps I buy a simple mashine (70 000 p) to test, if aiming at the most expensive business, and buy a better if it's good and have that one as reserve later. OR perhaps I can start one which need almost no equipment, but I have knowledge few Filipinos have, it depends of if the demands is enough among them who can pay. Much more research needed :) Edited November 7, 2012 by Thomas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewool Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 lots of great advice, could i ask how many are married and how many live alone or with girlfriends, i am married and i hold the purse strings here in england, we live very well but i dont over spend, food for 4 per month just over £100,Ems can cook very very well, so i am looking forward to cutting my food bills down because there will be only 2, other things like gas , water , electric well lets wait and see, all i can go on here is what i pay here for my utilities, all in all including my council tax £91 gas £38 electric £28 phone tv £30 mobile £15 , these are the major things so as you can see we live very very cheaply, and this is england, so can you understand when i am thinking of the figure around £500, i think its doable but lets wait and see 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjack2847 Posted November 7, 2012 Posted November 7, 2012 Steve that £500 is do-able but take it from me it is just enough for a basic lifestyle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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