How much to start a cafe in Cebu?

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, Bruce said:

Google Philippine Classified Ads. Then look under business for sale / internet café.

There is no money in these internet cafes. Too much competition, too much damage or up keep from customers using machines. More availability of free WiFi zones and almost everyone has a smart phone to connect one way or another.

[AlwaysRt]

4 hours ago, Domino22 said:

I do not plan on opening a business when I retire. But I did have a thought that if I got bored what would I do. I have a plan but here is the deal. You may be able to own 40% of the business but you could own 100% of the assets and they are leased to the business. So if Sh$t goes sideways take your assets and walk away.

 

3 hours ago, robert k said:

Sounds like a good plan except....you got a license to run a business leasing restaurant equipment? Your leasing business is 60% Filipino owned, isn't it?

There is also the issue of this strategy being interpreted by the Philippines as circumventing the ownership law (which it is), and is a violation in itself.

[Reboot]

2 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

There is no money in these internet cafes. Too much competition, too much damage or up keep from customers using machines. More availability of free WiFi zones and almost everyone has a smart phone to connect one way or another.

I guess it depends on where you are. In Surigao del Sur, I saw a small 10 seat internet cafe that pulls 4000-8000 pesos per week. This family operates several throughout the province and its been good for them. No WiFi zones in some of these small towns, and a lot of people either don't have smart phones, or do, but are kids who want to play an online game that requires a full sized computer. 

Edited October 28, 2016 by Reboot

[robert k]

A few years ago I tried to use a few internet cafes and about 1/3 of the locations the connection would time out before the home page came up. I was better off tethering my laptop to my phone. Watching some youtube vloggers who say they spend 6-10 hours to upload a 12 minutes 720p video makes me think they need a new hobby, a new location or to get smart and travel 2 hours to a place where they could upload in 20 minutes, do some shopping, because everyone in the boonies can use a trip to a city, and then go home. But that is just me.

[RBM]

For those with little to no experience here please think long and hard before investing or involving in a start up business.

It's not for the faint hearted and one can meet obstacles one could never dream about. Jealously is just one of many issues. Simply put if one inadvertently pi....off the wrong, person or people a nice little earner can turn into a nitemare, life can be a living hell.

Many ex pats have made it here, it's certainly not impossible but as others have said boots on the ground. I have been involved in business here many years, speak from experience both good and bad.