Where Is The Disconnect?? Filipina Is Telling Me $1K Is A Lot!!

[Mike S]

Some very good info here especially about the "western way of living" ..... it all depends on how well YOU can adapt to living here .... now you can continue living like you do in the country you come from OR you can adapt your life style to your new country of residences ..... now I'm not talking about living in a nipa hut (although some foreigners do) and there is certainty nothing wrong with that .... but we rent a newly built townhouse for p7000 ( $162.79 US)

 

Our biggest expense is food ... we like to eat but not foreign types ..... she cooks everyday but actually only one ulam (main one dish meal) she cooks enough for supper and only has to reheat it ..... unlike in western societies where both lunch and supper are cooked separately .... of course rice is cooked separately for each meal ....  :thumbsup:  :hystery:  ..... the food is usually NOT put into the frig after it is cooked and is placed under a plastic cover on the table until it is eaten or reheated ..... another totally unheard of custom in the US ..... been living here over 6 years and have never been sick yet ..... of course things with mayo etc. are kept in the frig .... if you choose to go the foreign food route you are going to pay a lot more .... not so much because we are foreigners but because the market for the stuff is far less than the cost native foods ..... our monthly bill for food generally comes to around p17,000  ($395) this includes eating out every now and then .....

 

Electric runs us about p1400 ($32) but no aircon (a/c) didn't use it in Florida and we don't use it here .... we use gasul (propane) for cooking and a portable water heater for heating bath water (only in the winter) .... we have a microwave .... turbo broiler ... TV .... computer ... fans and other small appliances .... but no total electric house like in the US ....

 

Internet and telephone runs us p1300 ($30) for 2Mbps service .... and p1090 ($25) for Cignal Satellite TV service .... get about 74 channels

 

We have a Kia Sportage SUV and spend about p1000 ($23) for diesel per month .... but that does change a bit .... mostly up .. not down .... :mocking:

 

Those are our biggest expenses BUT I am on a 13a visa (married permanent resident visa) so no visa costs or runs (out of the country)

 

We don't drink .... smoke or party so no costs there ..... we do however have insurance .... my asawa's SSS ... etc. that are not monthly bills but do have to be paid and other expenses such as drinking water at p35x2 per week .....

 

This will give you a rough idea how we live on $1100 per month but then we also have some set aside for emergencies if need be ..... and we also don't have to support the family ... they all have jobs but we send her mother a small bit each month to do with as she feels fit ....

 

Can you live like this .... I have no idea ... no two people live of think a like .... just showing you it is possible .... possible for you .... only you know for sure and you won't know that unless you try it HERE .... not from your arm chair in the US .... JMHO

 

I will say this that if it wasn't for my asawa I couldn't live as cheaply as we do .... no way .... a good woman will make the biggest different in how you can live .... and just like finding one that is thrifty .... you can also find one that will drive you into the poor house .... that choice is also yours .... but that my friend is a topic for another thread .....  :thumbsup:  :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery: 

:cheersty:

[Tukaram (Tim)]

We use a sub-meter to track our electric use.  Our landlord pays the electric company for total use of the property and we pay her for our use.  My portion is around p2,000 a month.  Her portion is p500 a month.  But it is because I insist on so many "western" luxuries.  I don't have aircon but I use fans, TV, running water, a refrigerator... she has none of these.  "Western" can mean a lot of things ha ha. 

[Mike S]

Hi, I have fast read the posts on this thread,So I may have missed it but has anyone mentioned your visa fees? plus the cost of transport be it purchasing a vehicle [ very overpriced here] or allowing budget for taxi which are cheap, but not so cheap if your living on 1000USD, the novelty soon wears of from Jeepneys.

 

John

 

We lived in Cebu City for about 5 years and never had a car until we were getting ready to move to Bacolod .... we had to use a taxi as I'm not comfortable riding on jeepneys .... as I'm on SS my monthly income didn't change .... when my asawa went out by herself she took a jeepney .... here in Bacolod we can go just about anywhere for about p125 ($2.90) one way .... if Cebu if i remember correctly it was about p150 most of the time ....

 

Our small SUV runs us about p1000 for diesel per month but of course that doesn't include repairs or tag .. license etc. ..... but it does give us more freedom .... we bought it for under p150,000 ( $3488) ..... but you better know your cars and check around .... JMHO

:cheersty:

[robert k]

LOL Love the quote about the motorcycle. Was it a KLR???

The motorcycle is a Suzuki GD 110. It has alot of low end torque for it's displacement, gets about 100 miles per gallon even while I was breaking it in. The major selling point was that it has an oil filter as so many small bikes do not. Not a speed demon by any means but more than adequate when the limit on the national highway is 60 KPH around Socorro on Mindoro even though the road is in surprisingly good shape. The GD is used for trikes in that area but if I were to bolt a sidecar to mine, my rear sproket would have 20% more teeth and the pretty chain guard would be history. I like how quier it is, my mothers sewing machine was louder : )

[AllenInWV]

Thanks for all the input! I know you're right about the difference between short and long term habitation. I do think I'm pretty open-minded (though I'm still not eating balut) and capable of adjusting my lifestyle to the environment I'm in.

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[davewe]

I know, right? I'm tickled to death I found this forum.

 

Just a guess, but I suspect a "Western lifestyle" is going to be eating out more often, going out (movies, clubs, golfing, whatever) more often, etc. etc. Maybe a bigger house than what you'd normally find, for example, in the US. I "suffer" from this a bit. I like my movies, but I'm very content to wait till the Blu-ray to come out and watch it at home. And while I do eat out on occasion, I am far more interested in the culture I'm in...i.e., more traditional food (though there is no way I'm trying balut LOL).

But I'm confident I can deal with a smaller house. I am sure I can do w/o air conditioning. I truly enjoying discovering a new place and trying to fit in and exploring it. And just looking over the map, the history of the place intrigues me as well. I spent 4 years in Germany and the history there is pretty impressive. The exact same can be said for the Philippines.

 

The whole "how much does it cost" thing is debated on all the forums. It's not just true in PI but in many 3rd world countries - you can live cheaply but not if you need to live that Western lifestyle. Do you need your weekly steaks, your particular brand of chips or ketchup or whatever might be imported. Do you need a car? Do you need a nice car? Do you need a Western style condo or a home with lots of security? Do you need to buy the latest electronics? Do you need to use lots of electricity?

 

All the above and more will cost as much or even more than in the US. But if you don't need a fancy house in metro Manila or Cebu, don't need imported Australian steaks, can drink San Miguel, don't need a German car (or any car), don't need to go clubbing several times a week, don't need the latest iphone, etc., etc. - then you can live cheaply.

 

I live a nice lifestyle in the US but most of it is to make up for the fact that I no longer love it here, so I buy crap to compensate. I can't wait to retire and life more simply. But of course like everyone who expats, there are a couple things that I will want to keep. My retirement budget should allow me to do that easily in PI. I can't wait!

[cebu rocks]

It can be done for sure BUT always have a exit strategy

 

One cost that makes the difference is set up costs IE: Motorbike or car , furniture , And house hold stuff

 

For 1000 a month you can live pretty good bit it will not be a vacation it will be assimilating into local culture more

 

But good thing is a lot of stuff is free to do like go to the beach , walk around  ,Work around your house/garden

 

For 1500 a month it opens up weekend trips to resorts and more night life but it really depends on what you like to do  

[Tukaram (Tim)]

For 1000 a month you can live pretty good bit it will not be a vacation it will be assimilating into local culture more

That is one of the biggest things, I think.  Some expats try to live the vacation.  Very expensive - and after a while it gets boring (for me).

 

My big expense this week was four pieces of p12 peso street fried chicken, and a p40 pellet gun.  Living large! 

 

 

Hey... SFC   <--- Street Fried Chicken.... a new franchise business idea.         :tiphat:

[BrettGC]

My big expense this week was four pieces of p12 peso street fried chicken, and a p40 pellet gun. Living large!

 

What? No condoms today??  Careful mate, you have a reputation to uphold!

[saltydog]

If you can live the Pinoy lifestyle then $1k is enough. That is living in the provinces and in a binka hut with just a light bulb, fan and maybe a small TV. If you live in Manila I would recommend at least $3k a month min, This place is not as cheap as it seems.