Mr Lee Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 I see a number of items where the prices have gone up over the years to where they cost as much, if not more than the US, so what items can you compare costs of to the countries where you came from or still live? One item I know that is very inexpensive is a haircut at p25 to p50 depending on where the barber is located, while back in the US the same haircut cost me about $15, so there is a significant savings there for me. Are there any other items you all can think of which would normally be included in a persons monthly expenses and would be less expensive than back home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom in Texas Posted February 12, 2011 Posted February 12, 2011 Massages (I... uuhhh.... have a bad back.... and sore neck.... my foot hurts)US -- $100-200PH -- priceless................... ok, ok, maybe $10-30... who cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted February 12, 2011 Author Posted February 12, 2011 The last massage I got was only p200 which comes out to less than $5 and she came to the house to do it because she regularly goes to my neighbors house to give him a massage and he sent her up (my wife was home at the time, to stop the wise cracks). I also had one done a year before that, in a place right next to the Diplomat Hotel, and a one hour complete body (minus the sexual parts) massage was only p300, so it seems they might have been taking advantage of our legal eagle friend, or his massages included something which mine did not include, nor did I want it to. :lol: Now I do not think this is less expensive than in the states but I did notice that the price of flat screen TV's here has come down significantly. I found 32 inch flat screens on sale in Ayala the other day for anywhere from P16,000 to p20,000, and the p20,000 ones were Samsung and other great name brands, so they are dumping LCD and Plasma sets here too and those prices are before I asked if they would give a cash discount, which is common when asked for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Sibbick Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 I have seen Thai massage advertised on Sanciangko St in Cebu City for P120 per hour but I use the blind masseurs on Colon, opposite the Cebu Business hotel for reflexology massage. It is P200 per hour on a bed or P150 per hour in a chair. Refloxolgy massage in Australia is aud $60 per hour.i use a men's hairdresser on Colon who charge P50. As part of the haircut, they cut the hair out of my ears and nose. On completion, they use a hot towel on my face and give a short shoulder/back massage. There is no eqivalent I have seen in Australia. My barber in Australia charges $22 and cuts the ear and nose hair too. There is a barber that charges $10 but he just gives a quick and nasty job for that. He is more designed for balding men who want to touch up the few remaining hairs.Wages are cheap. Particularly housemaids. Which is what many foreigners are interested in. The cost varies on location but the most I have heard of is P4000 per month. Of course you have to also give them a place to sleep and provide their meals. I don't employ a housemaid at the moment but I do employ a waitress. Or rather, my girlfriend does. She is a live in waitress. We feed her and give her a place to sleep. She is paid P1000 per month and assists with food preparation and waits on customers in the karaoke bar and barbecue stand. A waitress in Australia would earn that much in 1.5 hours. Whole roast chicken is about P150 (about aud $3.50) in the places I buy it in Leyte or Cebu. Equivalent size in Australia is about Aud $8 in the supermarket.Buko pie, pineapple pie etc have no equivalent in Australia but if they did, I would expect to pay $5 to $10 in a supermarket in Australia compared to $1 to $2 in Philippines. All pies, breads and cakes are way cheaper than anything similar in Australia. All I can think of at the momentRegards: Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted February 13, 2011 Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) A carton of cigarettes (10 packs) here in the Philippines cost about P300 ($6.80) where as in the U.S. just one pack of cigarettes cost on the average of $5.00. I find fast food joints and all you can eat buffet places are cheaper here! Fancy dine-in restaurants here are more expensive or equal to those in price in the U.S.! Pizzas are cheaper here! Edited February 13, 2011 by Fil/AmArt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom in Texas Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 ... so it seems they might have been taking advantage of our legal eagle friend... LOL - story of my life, Lee. Like W.C. Fields, whether in the US or Ph... I can't get no respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts