Living Costs For Young Guy In The Phils...

[Medic Mike]

 

The guards are only there because the property insurers require them; they get paid around 18000 a month, less stoppages. Guards are held in contempt by just about everyone. Don't expect them to actually stop a thief, let alone a killer.

 

Wow!...that is great money for the Philippines....the guards at my hotel and out front the ERUF only get paid 10K a month!

[Scotsman]

It's much the same in most places in Thailand they spend most of their time sleeping but I think it's at least a deterrent to most would be thieves.

 

Electronic swipe card entry is the norm or not?

 

It's not exactly a deal breaker but it's good to know crazy girls or their pissed off brothers can't just come strolling into your apartment looking for you.

[robert k]

10k a month is what I hear guards are paid in Manila.

[davewe]

 

Hey,

 

I'm thinking of moving to the Phils (undecided where as of yet - never actually been to the country yet).

 

Was living in Bangkok for 1 year until recently and loved it. Came home to visit family and Thailand went crazy with their visa rules so looks like going back there could be a hassle.

 

I have funds from abroad around £1,300 / $2,190 USD / 95,700 PHP per month and will have around 4-6 months back up funds in the bank.

 

Looking for somewhere reasonably priced I can go for a long stay (let's say 6 months to a year for now) and need to know what sort of prices I'd be looking at.

 

For reference in Bangkok I spent around £600 / 32,000 THB / $1000 USD / 44,000 PHP on average a month and it wasn't a hardship - nothing fancy but not penny pinching either.

 

Had an OK apartment close to transport links in centre of town. Had free wifi and cable TV. Pool and gym on site + restaurants, laundry and grocery store. 

 

Ate out every night usually just cheap Thai local restaurant food. Sometime street food and sometimes Western / junk food. Happy to eat the local stuff 90% of the time.

 

Drink beer often. Like to go out and socialize, eat, drink and date. Maybe 2-4 times a week,

 

I don't spend money on p4p but I don't mind picking up the tab on a date if need be. 

 

Spend my days at coffee shops online.

 

 

To live a similar lifestyle how much would I be looking at per month?

 

I don't mind about not having a pool or gym as I rarely used them anyway.

 

 

Thanks

This sounds like a pretty significant amount of cash for a single person in the Philippines. Of course there are caveats. Manila and even Cebu City are more expensive than smaller cities or towns. Everyone has different notion as to what are acceptable accommodations, but in general older guys like me want a more comfortable or safe environment. A younger guy can live in a decent apartment and doesn't require a gated fortress.

 

Your 2-4 times a week entertainment can go either way. San Miguel is cheap and decent beer. But if you require your Western liquor and food, you will pay for it. Of course, I am guessing the same can be said of Thailand where you successfully managed to spend less than your budget. 

 

Go for it and have fun. Let us know when the wedding is :) IOW, Filipinas are quite compelling.

 

I assumed you had to live in a city at an age where you want to go out often. But there is Manila and Cebu and then there are a large number of small cities, which many of us enjoy. However. a city of 100,000 - 200,000 is not gonna have the nightlife of Manila/Cebu, let alone the nightlife of Bangkok. I honestly am not sure that any city in the Philippines is going to compare to Bangkok. For me when I went to Thailand Chiang Mai was more my speed. If you like a Chiang Mail, there are a number of comparable smaller cities. 

 

Under any circumstances, you are going to have to check out the cities you are interested in, unless you are brave enough to simply make the leap and make the best of it. But I am not sure that any city will compare to Bangkok. not that that is a completely bad thing.

 

IMO the allure of the Philippines is in its people and simplicity, not its sophistication. If those are attractive to you, you will love it. 

Edited August 5, 2014 by davewe

[Scotsman]

I don't rate Chiang Mai much. Find it quite boring.

 

I don't need an exact replica of Bangkok but I would like somewhere that is vibrant, busy, happening, good nightlife lots going on and plenty to do.

 

I of course will have to come check these places out before I make the move. Stupid not to.

 

Is Manila and Cebu the only real options then?

[BrettGC]

I don't need an exact replica of Bangkok but I would like somewhere that is vibrant, busy, happening, good nightlife lots going on and plenty to do.

 

What's your definition of a vibrant night-life?  You won't find a Bangkok, Pattaya or Patong in the Philippines and I'm not saying that from the obvious perspective either but given your stated experience it's not the obvious you're after.  It's interesting you didn't like Chang Mai much, I've always found it, and the surrounding regions probably the most welcoming to Westerners without the obvious agendas. I'm a bit off a foodie and there's not a red or green curry to be seen anywhere in the North but rather some very unique cuisine that you can't buy out of a jar in most Western supermarkets.   

 

Yep, come visit, spend some time in Manila, Cebu, Olongopo, Angeles etc and see what you think.  Most major metropolitan cities have a very vibrant night-life.  I  love the Philippines but it's definitely not for everyone, especially if your previous experience of SE Asia has only been the Indo-China region.

 

It is very much a matter of "each to his own".  

 

The proof is in the pudding.  

[Scotsman]

In Bangkok there's a wide variety of bars, clubs, gigs, events to suit all tastes. 

 

If I want to find a Western expat bar I can, if I want to listen to jazz no problem, if it's Thai rock n roll I'm after easy, a night of banging dance music from a DJ it's there, heavy metal...no problem, traditional Thai country music, simple!

 

It's mixed. It's varied. There's music, nights, places, to suit all tastes.

 

I imagine this could be quite hard to find in Phils but what offers the best options?

 

Pattaya and Patong have no appeal to me. I'm not interested in gogo bars and p4p. 

[Methersgate]

You can find all that in Makati, very easily.

 

Amongst smaller cities, I like Olongapo/Subic, but that is in part because I have friends there and in part because I like sailing.

[Scotsman]

Then I guess I have to research Makati then.

[MacBubba]

You can find all that in Makati, very easily

 

I agree.