What are some pros and cons about living in and/or away from the city?

[virginprune]

I live outside Marbel, very rural but only 15 minute cycle ride into town. The tranquility is what I wanted and have, have lost it for a while because of house build, by German guy, opposite but expect it back after completion. Garden resort with pool, P35 entrance 10 minutes walk away.  Marbel has 2 malls plus a Gaisano, with an SM City opening next month. Lots of decent coffee shops and bakeries opened up in the past year. It also has 3 decent hospitals plus a public one. Gensan is an hour by bus which is where I do immigration and buy spices from an Indian shop/restaurant. 

Life is good and mostly lends itself to how I envisaged my retirement, so I am a happy camper.

[bigpearl]

On 17/07/2017 at 9:11 AM, Gratefuled said:

There are advantages and disadvantages either way. It just all depends on your needs and wants.

I obviously prefer the city where everything is close by. 

Unfortunately, the woman I fell in love with and eventually married already had a house away from the city. 

I don't like the inconveniences of living away from everything. 

I rented a condo walking distance to SM Mall. It had a pool, recreation room, and all the amenities. 

Later, obviously when we married, I moved into her house and started remodelling it to my liking. 

What about YOU?

 

I hear you Gratefuled with all the perks of living in a condo, 20 floors to ground level, walk across the road to SM San Lazaro, everything at your fingertips, convenient and secure, a great life style but! Pollution, all the time cleaning the black grime off the walls, furniture and floors, a concrete jungle that had little appeal for me but the better half worked for PNR in Tondo (a nasty area) and we chose to live there for convenience with Bengies work. For the 12 months that we lived in our Condo we never met/chatted with other residents where we lived, see each other in the elevator but only the cursory hello. In Oz we are semi remote on 50 acres overlooking a beautiful valley and mountains, 15 minutes from town and Bengies work, we have space, we have a huge garden and the closest neighbour is 200 plus metres away, the compromise now is (for my retirement in 2 years) 2,500 M2 block absolute ocean front, no pollution or minimal, garden space to play, quiet neighbourhood 5 minutes from the wet market, 30 or 40 minutes from the 5,000 relatives, far enough to not have frequent visitors but close enough for us to visit as we will have wheels and not rely on local transport as our relatives will and yes, it's a little too far for the Jeepney and much too far for a tricycle. 

50 acres as I get older is too much on the ground work but purchased 15 years ago as an investment that will help in my/our retirement and the move to PH. A pool and gym is easy, we have that in Oz and will duplicate in our new home. For us independence and privacy within a secure community/Bagangay was sacrosanct and the 5 minute travel to shop for daily needs was the trade off. I like Queenie O and others want my garden and some level of isolation/privacy and independence, enough space to play and create but also with a level of convenience for daily/weekly needs. 

To those that relish Condo living all good and I personally see the good points as well as negative and it certainly is an individuals choice but having lived this way for 12 months, is a place I will not visit again. For you Gratefuled your life is with your lady and I am sure you have overcome the inconveniences of living in the province and enjoy the upside as well as the downside. Do hope that you both had input with the remodelling.

Cheers, Steve.

[sonjack2847]

On 7/24/2017 at 8:33 PM, Gary D said:

A bit further up the coast around Amlam is nice as well.

Yes I have been there but it is just too far out.I like to live nearer the City although not in it.

[stevewool]

We went to see and stay with some friends who live in the area of Laguna , Liliw .

On the road to that place from Marikina was so wonderful, the views , i thought i would like to like in Bohol , but seeing these places i did think i could live in this area too, Tagatay again what a beautiful place to see, living there could be different , but waking up and seeing those views each day would make you think its good to be alive.

[Dr. Shiva]

On a similar problem/puzzle am I also. To where should I move with my wife when our kid is becoming adult and leaving us? A bigger island would be relaxing but it can happens that the island boredom will strike. A bigger city would have a lot of recreations and amenities aut also have on the opposite lot of traffic jams, polluted air, dirty, and lot of noises when choosing the wrong living area. Several municipalities on another side will/can have only few shopping possibilities, bad streets, lack of services and so on.

I created a bigger list for assistance. But I'm not on the Philippines a the moment, making it very difficult to (pre-)evaluate possible places. My wife told me that I can choose any place. This makes the evaluation not easier. I'm looking for cities (ex: Tanjay City), municipalities adjacent to cities (ex: Valencia next to Dumaguete), high class municipalities similar in quality to a city (ex: Santa Maria in Bulacan) or if the city (ex: Davao) is big, an area inside of the city (ex: Buhangin).

Thank you all for your assistance

Here is my big list: 

a)      Must have

Public transportation 24/7 available preferable in both directions (because of traffic jams and LTO issues)
Decent (not crappy) hospital
Gym, Fitness center, location to play chess and/or Badminton
Working waste/garbage management system
Quite reliable utilities
Quiet residential areas
At least one or two decent malls
Several sources to get medicines
Safe/secure city (Not every area in a city can be considered safe. But that is not an issue if it can be avoided.)
Quite clean city
Reliable and fast internet (if possible 10 mbps and more)

 b)      Good to have

Green city
At least some malls
Cleaner air
Some nice parks
Cooler climate
Reliable city goverment

 c)       Nice to have but not necessary

Nice beaches
More activities like amusement/theme parks, touristic spots and so on.
House & Lot in a decent subdivision
Expat jobs
Airport and/or Shipport

 d)      Not liking in the nearer living area

Too much noise (animals, traffic, karaoke, videoke and so on.)
Too many bars near the living location
Prostitution in the living area or passing thru to get home
Waste dump sits near the living area

 e)      Not having at all

Totally overpriced public transport as like in Moalboal or on Boracay
Highly corrupt government. (ex: laying traps to foreigners to part them from their money)

There are some areas where I have some issues choosing them:
Angeles City
Zamboanga City (The city itself seems safe but the direct environment not)
Boracay
Everything in Muslim areas

Now I'm wondering which gems and jewels will be presented to me. .

[mogo51]

On 7/17/2017 at 8:42 AM, Snowy79 said:

I think I've got the best of both Worlds. I hate shopping at the best of times but do realise the benefits of getting those hard to find objects.

I live in a nice area close to a beach and a local market. It's not the biggest market but there's enough fruit, veg and meat to knock up a decent meal. If I want I can travel 1 1/2hrs by road to a city or jump on a 45 min flight to a decent built up holiday area. If I really want punishment I can be in Manila within 3 hrs.

I value fresh air and my sanity too much to live in a city full time.

With you there Snowy.

[Dave Hounddriver]

4 hours ago, Dr. Shiva said:

Here is my big list: 

That is how my friend describes Georgetown, Malaysia.  I guess Philippines is not for everyone as I cannot think of a single place the fits the criteria on your list.  If there was such a place it would get crowded in a hurry 

[davewe]

8 hours ago, Dr. Shiva said:

On a similar problem/puzzle am I also. To where should I move with my wife when our kid is becoming adult and leaving us? A bigger island would be relaxing but it can happens that the island boredom will strike. A bigger city would have a lot of recreations and amenities aut also have on the opposite lot of traffic jams, polluted air, dirty, and lot of noises when choosing the wrong living area. Several municipalities on another side will/can have only few shopping possibilities, bad streets, lack of services and so on.

I created a bigger list for assistance. But I'm not on the Philippines a the moment, making it very difficult to (pre-)evaluate possible places. My wife told me that I can choose any place. This makes the evaluation not easier. I'm looking for cities (ex: Tanjay City), municipalities adjacent to cities (ex: Valencia next to Dumaguete), high class municipalities similar in quality to a city (ex: Santa Maria in Bulacan) or if the city (ex: Davao) is big, an area inside of the city (ex: Buhangin).

Thank you all for your assistance

Here is my big list: 

a)      Must have

Public transportation 24/7 available preferable in both directions (because of traffic jams and LTO issues)
Decent (not crappy) hospital
Gym, Fitness center, location to play chess and/or Badminton
Working waste/garbage management system
Quite reliable utilities
Quiet residential areas
At least one or two decent malls
Several sources to get medicines
Safe/secure city (Not every area in a city can be considered safe. But that is not an issue if it can be avoided.)
Quite clean city
Reliable and fast internet (if possible 10 mbps and more)

 

I don't know that much Visayan but one of the words I know and have used often for years is Sakto, meaning good enough. By Western standards there are no places with all of your must haves, let alone the rest of your list. However there are places that are "sakto." BTW, I live in Valencia, one of your stated places. I am new to PI and still retain my rose colored glasses but even I am taken a bit aback by your list of must haves.

Public transport 24/7 - make friends with a trike driver, who in an emergency can take you wherever you want to go. 

Waste/garbage - Sure, but not what you're used to.

Reliable utilities - I assume you mean no brown outs - few places like that. In Valencia my water is periodically turned off. We fill a bucket with water. It's sakto.

Quiet - Yes, unless you don't like roosters or cows in the morning. Personally I'm crazy and like them.

Safe/secure - I think so but depends on your definition.

Clean - Valencia's sakto, but it ain't Switzerland.

Reliable, fast Internet - Again, depends on what your needs are. Most of the Philippines would certainly not meet this definition. So again can you adjust to sakto or will you be annoyed by the performance or service your provider gives you. 

If your serious about your move, learn the word sakto or make all those must haves into nice to have. 

 

Edited October 6, 2017 by davewe

[Dave Hounddriver]

46 minutes ago, davewe said:

is Sakto, meaning good enough.

Go to your local sari sari and ask for a Sakto.  You will get the small bottle you see in this pic.  I did not know it had any other meaning

[davewe]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Go to your local sari sari and ask for a Sakto.  You will get the small bottle you see in this pic.  I did not know it had any other meaning

Of course I may be spelling it wrong. But my spelling is "good enough."