Can I Really Live On $1000 A Month In The Philippines

[BrettGC]

What's a CFO?

 

Chief Financial Officer - Modern business speak for book keeper :)

[Jake]

What's a CFO?

In this context, I believe Jeff R is referring to chief financial officer (CFO) as his wife who handles that department.  

My wife on occasion would throw me an extra bone when I'm banished to my doghouse.....he, he. 

[JJReyes]

If you can't afford to pay a decent wage, give them a fancy title.

[Bigdog]

 You can "exist" here on $1000/mth , but i wouldnt want to try it...i get by pretty much like living at home for about $2000/mth...rent including utilities and internet is about $500/mth for this 2 bdr/1 cr place..i am sure you can find cheaper but you'll pay in other ways, here its clean , quiet and secure.. They is 4 of us , myself , my girlfriend and two teenageers..we eat about 1/2 pinoy and 1/2 american style foods ( i use local ingredients for the most part even when i cook)..we eat out maybe 2 nights a week and the GF and i eat out for lunch several times a week( gets us out of the house), i have a multicab cuz i just couldnt stand not having wheels so theres maintinance and fuel for that.. the girls go to a private school , not the best but much better than public school and we do free online schooling at home also .($1600/yr for both but they both got acedemic scholorships last year and i only had to pay 35% tuition this year !! YAY GIRLS !!).... We do alot of family gatherings with my GFs family and travel new places just about every other weekend , all 3 girls now swim like fish and are really into snorkeling..Neither the Gf or I drink much, but maybe once or twice a week we will go out and have a couple of beers with friends.. BTW we live on Mactan so more city than province..once the girls get thru school you can bet the city wont see much of us , so costs will decrease maybe.. but its up to each individuel what they will accept as "living"..i am not willing to live in a small nipa hut with no power and eat rice rice and more rice to stay under $1000/mth lol but there are some that would be fine with that life..me I'd be bored and miserable

[earthdome]

In Baguio I am spending about $550 USD for rent, elec, water, drinking water, cable TV, DSL internet, cell phones and transportation (jeepney and taxi). Plus about $300 for food. P10,000 is rent on a nice 30sqm studio apartment. Total is about $850USD but that does not include eating out, entertainment, health insurance, visa extensions and meds. My guess is the total per month runs between $1,300 and $1,500USD.

[Old55]

If you can't afford to pay a decent wage, give them a fancy title.

Or a bone.

[davis27]

I'm confused about why 1,000 USD a month is considered "surviving" 

 

I found these monthly wages on another site

 

President of the Philippines salary is: 57,750

Vice President’s salary is: 46,200 – 54,917

Senator’s salary is: 40,425 -48,052

Congressman’s salary is: 40,425 -48,052

Governor’s salary is: 28,875 – 34,323

Mayor’s salary is: 23,422 – 27,842

 

A doctor earns between p18,000 – 35,000 pesos per month

An airline pilot earns 80- 100,000 pesos per month

 

So a doctor is making around 700 a month. He can't support himself, let alone his family? How are all these "wealthy" Filipinos in places like Makati surviving on those kinds of wages. How can they even afford any kind of luxury at all. I understand that Western-style spendings will be higher, but there are plenty of Filipinos who are enjoying those luxuries as well. I'm wondering how on Earth they can afford it if 1,000 USD a month is considered surviving. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

Every one of those examples is showing income reported for tax purposes.  It comes nowhere near the amount of money that actually goes in their pockets.  (EDIT:  well maybe the pilot, I don't know what they make)

Edited January 5, 2014 by Dave Hounddriver

[MikeB]

According to Wikipedia, the President of the Philippines monthly salary for 2012 was p120k, the VP between 10-15k less. But the top politicians do not go into public service for these meager salaries, they're already from rich and powerful families, otherwise they wouldn't be there. 

[Old55]

Ask yourself why a poor Filipino would spend thousands of USD to become elected to some modest position that pays a few thousand peso a month? That is one of the major problems with the Philippines.