Lets Compare Prices Of Items In Different Countries

[Fred & Mimi]

I keeping on topic with comparing various costs of things in different countries.....As a nurse, working in Women's Health in both the US and then doing volunteer medical mission work in the Philippines, I must point out that the costs associated with prostitution is MUCH lower in the Philippines. It is very much a 'buyer's market'I was working on a past trip with the Chief Medical Officer for the area and found out that they no longer local call prostitutes, GROs, but now CSW for Commercial Sex Worker. Same job, no more money, so sad (as they say in the Philippines). I have come into (no pun intended) working women from 3 different areas of the Philippinjes as well as her in the US. I have met many, many, many, of the usual average woman working in the sex industry to support her family as well as the occasional real beauty.Some of these women that I have met are making 1,000p to 5,000p a night, when IF in say New York, they would be making $2,000 USD - $5,000 a night where Asian women have some built in VAT tax due to limited availability (seller's market). What is interesting is that if you switch them, the working Pinay now getting $2,000++ USD a night for the same 'work' she was doing in the Philippines is very happy. But you take the working woman from a major US city and put her in the Philippines making less than $100 a night for the same 'work' she is very unhappy. Go figure!'Same work, same equipment' but different locations = vast price differences. I am not referring to any drug addicts working to support their needs. Just a basic working women doing her job. Whether you call them a prosti, a bar girl, a GRO or a CSW is not important.Now, since this forum is for those of us either thinking about or actually have started living in the Philippines as opposed to a forum designed for a 3rd world country citizen to move to the US or the UK et al, WHOM do you think beneifits more from the local pricing structures? This different local attitude is an interesting topic because they are often not interchangeable! While I am speaking as an American, I am sure that those from the UK or other 'Queen's possessions' can relate and change the term 'American-ized' into their own country's terms. Very often that sweet innocent wonderful Pinay you met and married then moved back to your home country has, after a few years.... become JUST LIKE THEM (the women in your home country). (Pro rated trade in value based upon the Pre-Nup agreement duly signed and notarized, in triplicate.... see small print for details)In simple layman's terms, she, your wonderful Pinay wife, has revised her self worth and now, again, in layman's terms, thinks 'it' is worth far more that 'it' is! Which means whilst she was in the Philippines, she was one of millions. Back in your country, she is one of a few. This also, I might add, applies to your house helper(s). Out on Samar, they make depending on age and job and length of service, betweeen 1,000p to maybe 3,000p a month + food and bed. In the US, you are looking at paying federal minimum wages ($8.75 hr USD) and you could be looking at an easy $500 +++ USD a week! Why I have heard horror stories of those larged breasted, blonde haired, blue eyed Swedish creatures calling themselves an 'Au Pair' (excuse me whilst I lower my nose after saying that word) demanding $1,000 a week and far more for those who get to sleep with Arnold Schwartzhis name......So, please, lets not loose sight of the important things in life while compairing the costs of CORN FLAKES.... you bunch of old codgers! If you guys could see yourselves from 20-30 years ago, living in the Philippines, on a pension, not having to work (much) and having potential female paramours lined up 3.5 kilometers down the road from your front door.... talking about the costs of BLOODY CORN FLAKES..... why your former selves would think you have lost your minds!Hahahahahahahahaha I prefer Frosted Flakes as a child of the sugar generation! I am sure they must cost more! I am 54 and not too far behind you guys.... so sad.... so sad......

One of the reasons why marrying a reformed GRO and bringing her back to your home country is such a big risk. The lure of such a high returns for their previous professional skills, knowing they can send so much money back to their families back in Phili, can be too much of a temptation. One forgets that the King Kanos in Phili may only be a Joe Average back in their home country.I've seen it before with Thai girls marrying average aussie battler and its sad. Edited January 12, 2012 by wandibushman

[Bundy]

We currently have a backpacker from the US working with us. (she's from Massachusetts) and from what i am learning from her, i can now see why a few Americans are beginning to doubt the financial benefits of living in the Philippines. This girl is just amazed at the cost of living here in Australia. At home she rents an apartment for $160 per month whilst here she is paying $140 per week to share a room with three other girls!She says that some foodstuffs are close to the same price here as in US but apart from that everything else is way dearer.

[sonjack2847]

UK PricesCouncil tax/ property tax £1200+ per year.Electric £600+ py.Gas £600 + py.Tv licence Approx £120 pyWater £360 + pyThis is before you pay rent.In Cebu I have a 35m2 apartment 10 minute walk from Mango sq with all amenities/utilities it costs around 7800p per month which is approx £120 per month. So work this out for a year and it is way cheaper than I could hope to live in the UK.Everybody have a nice Sinulog leave some beer for me okKevin

Edited January 13, 2012 by sonjack2847

[Bruce]

We currently have a backpacker from the US working with us. (she's from Massachusetts) and from what i am learning from her, i can now see why a few Americans are beginning to doubt the financial benefits of living in the Philippines. This girl is just amazed at the cost of living here in Australia. At home she rents an apartment for $160 per month whilst here she is paying $140 per week to share a room with three other girls!She says that some foodstuffs are close to the same price here as in US but apart from that everything else is way dearer.

Here in the US, $160 for an apartment is not realistic unless you rent from mom and dad. The $160 a month might not even cover the real estate taxes the owner has. Very strange.

[Jollygoodfellow]

The only way to compare prices from one country to the next is by the Corn Flakes method,its been proven right here on the forum.Today's task; One member from each country is to go to the supermarket and purchase a packet of Corn Flakes.Tomorrow we will compare prices to the packet purchased in the Philippines. :mocking:

[Bruce]

The only way to compare prices from one country to the next is by the Corn Flakes method,its been proven right here on the forum.Today's taskOne member from each country is to go to the supermarket and purchase a packet of Corn Flakes.Tomorrow we will compare prices to the packet purchased in the Philippines. :mocking:

GOT YOU! ....... You have stock in the corn flake company... right? huh? am I right????

[Mike S]

We currently have a backpacker from the US working with us. (she's from Massachusetts) and from what i am learning from her, i can now see why a few Americans are beginning to doubt the financial benefits of living in the Philippines. This girl is just amazed at the cost of living here in Australia. At home she rents an apartment for $160 per month whilst here she is paying $140 per week to share a room with three other girls!She says that some foodstuffs are close to the same price here as in US but apart from that everything else is way dearer.

Here in the US, $160 for an apartment is not realistic unless you rent from mom and dad. The $160 a month might not even cover the real estate taxes the owner has. Very strange.

I agree Bruce ..... all I could think of as she is a back packer maybe she is living in governmental housing and only required to pay a token fee ..... IMHO

[Dave Hounddriver]

One member from each country is to go to the supermarket and purchase a packet of Corn Flakes. Tomorrow we will compare prices to the packet purchased in the Philippines.

I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening?:cheersty: Corny! Edited January 14, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[Bundy]

We currently have a backpacker from the US working with us. (she's from Massachusetts) and from what i am learning from her, i can now see why a few Americans are beginning to doubt the financial benefits of living in the Philippines. This girl is just amazed at the cost of living here in Australia. At home she rents an apartment for $160 per month whilst here she is paying $140 per week to share a room with three other girls!She says that some foodstuffs are close to the same price here as in US but apart from that everything else is way dearer.

Here in the US, $160 for an apartment is not realistic unless you rent from mom and dad. The $160 a month might not even cover the real estate taxes the owner has. Very strange.

I agree Bruce ..... all I could think of as she is a back packer maybe she is living in governmental housing and only required to pay a token fee ..... IMHO

We'll have her helping us again tomorrow, so i'll ask for more info.

[Bundy]

Ok,I asked for some clarification from our American backpacker this morning and this is what she said, please keep in mind that i can only quote what she is saying. Firstly, yes she is paying $160 per month in the US and this is for a small 2 bedroom house which she shares with another girl so the full rental amount would be $320 per month.I asked for a direct comparison to Australia. We own a 2 bedroom apartment here which we lease out and we get $250 per week and that is unfurnished.She said that in a bigger city in Massachusetts she would have to pay around $600 per month. So by that comparison, the rental costs where she is from is near half what it is here and this is country Queensland.The rental market in our bigger cities is obviously a lot higher than here.This girl is adamant the cost of living in Australia is far higher than in the US. The one saving grace that we have is that according to her, the wages in Australia are higher.So, given that there is parity between the US and AU dollar it would seem that perhaps the cost of living in the Philippines may be more acceptable to an Australian at the moment. I do not for one minute pretend to know anything about money markets, exchange rates and so on, all i know is that if it is in your favour, then you need to make the most of it because it may change at any given moment. It wasn't so long ago that the Aussie dollar was buying around 70c US.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Bundy