ACEPoolPlayer
7/29/2014 20:38 EST
Yes, you can live on $1000 a month. Probably even a lot cheaper. It depends on the quality of life that you want to live and where you live. If you are talking about surviving, sure it can be done. I can tell you how you can live 100 yards from the Embassy in Manila in an aircon room and eat 3 meals a day for $1000 a month. You won't have much extra spending money but it can be done. So of course if you lived in the province somewhere in a good place like tlallen59, standupguy, or poochewer have found then it definitely can be done. Especially if you are single without kids. Just like living anywhere the main things are your spending habits. Girls, drinks, restaurants. If you don't pay for girls, you drink at home and eat at home, your in pretty good shape. Now if you already own a house like some regulars contributors do, your in even better shape. If your rent is not too much or if you use aircon for only one small bedroom in your house/apartment (which I plan to do), that's great also. If you want a 4 bedroom house in an exclusive subdivision with security guards, swimming pool etc...and you are sending kids to school, then you are looking at $2000, $3000, $4000, $5000 a month. If you are on a tight budget transportation cost add up quickly. Especially tricycle cost. Buy your own small motorcycle or your personal service tricycle. Gas is very expensive. To maintain a car and pay for the crazy gas prices get very expensive too.
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sherwood
7/29/2014 22:45 EST
It can be done. My wife before I married her lived in her complete paid off house for around 1/2 that amount with her 27 year old son. She also had a car, TV service, internet, telephone, and lived in a decent area of Cebu. Her budget was around 20,000 pesos a month. $1,000 is more than 43,000 pesos and you can live decent even if you are a couple. No problem, but you just need to budget and adjust your life style.
Even now, if you do not count our travel budget, we spend way under $1,000 per month for the three of us. That includes owning a new SUV and eating out several times a week.
So I guess it can be done.
Sherwood
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richfigley
7/29/2014 23:05 EST
Thanks for the input, I live very frugal now, so the adjustment would not be that great.
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poochewer
7/30/2014 03:37 EST
As I said once before and nowone seemed to believe me, me and my wife lived in or own house with all mod cons in a really nice gated community, very close to beach.with our own motor cycle and car, for $124 US per month! Believe it or not.
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gworsham
7/30/2014 08:13 EST
Poochewer, I loved your information about the low cost of living and being close to a beach. That are the exact things I am looking for in the Philippines. I will relocate there in 2015. I can only imagine you have to be smart and acquire some know how for your accomplishments. I may not come close to equalizing yours but it makes me feel good about coming there.
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poochewer
7/30/2014 16:25 EST
Regardless of what u spend u will love the Philippines.It's one of the few places left on earth where u can feel truly free. U literally can do whatever u want. Freedom is worth way more than money.
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brslomo
7/30/2014 19:56 EST
Sherwood,
Any chance you would share your monthly budget with us?
Thanks either way.
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brslomo
7/30/2014 20:08 EST
And in reply to the remark by PC that you can do whatever you want, don't forget this: If you can do whatever you want, so can everyone else.
That's why there is utter chaos on the roads. Very few drivers have licenses, let alone insurance.
When your neighbors are celebrating a birthday, wedding, fiesta, saints' day, or whatever and you want to sleep, too bad! No one to call and make them turn down the music. Have you seen the speakers some of these people have? Some are as tall as a man. Forget about your right to have peace and quiet. You are living in a country where people can do whatever they want. Another word for that is anarchy.
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tlallen59
7/30/2014 20:22 EST
That's why I am taking my "big as a man" speakers and duel sub's to drowned them out with! LOL
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poochewer
7/30/2014 23:51 EST
Mate, all those things that u said was bad, I honestly don't mind any of them. I prefer to drive in Philippines over driving in Australia.and I don't mind the neighbors noise cos that means they are happy
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ACEPoolPlayer
7/31/2014 06:56 EST
It's very important when you buy/rent anywhere that you check out your neighbors before you agree to anything. I've seen places in New York where people complete the closing on homes without realizing there were train tracks on the other side of the tree line. The broker only brought them to the house when there were no train schedules. I myself will always have dogs for security, protection and companionship so I plan to have a big yard or neighbors who will not complain or poison my dogs.
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ACEPoolPlayer
7/31/2014 07:44 EST
Harmony,
It's very important living in the Philippines that you get along with your neighbors. The best security is neighbors watching out for each other. Don't let them take advantage of you but be friendly. Donate to your local Barangay and police station for special events (Christmas parites, etc..). People will like you and protect you.
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brslomo
7/31/2014 11:45 EST
I doubt if anyone in Phils would ever poison a dog. They taste too good and once a dog ingests poison, it is unsafe to eat the meat.
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tlallen59
7/31/2014 13:36 EST
We have had a dog poisoned there in the past. They use MSG in some kind of food and being that all the dogs there are hungry most of the time they eat it right up and die. Best to keep your dog at home and well fed.
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ron503
8/4/2014 01:02 EST
Yes this can be done, we sold our home in Portland, OR at the height of the market and bought a house and lot in Quezon City, paid cash for it.
Monthly Expenses:
$200/mo food expenses this number is very generous
$100/mo Nanny for our twin girls
$70/mo Maid Service
$50/mo Electricity
$20/mo Water Bill
$20/mo Internet Service
$20/mo for Propane Gas
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Total $480/ month
Well, you have $520 to spare. The key is a house thats paid for, we live in Quezon City in Manila on a 220sq m, house, 330sq. lot., 4 bedroom house, with 2 of the rooms has a/c.
Property tax is only $240/year
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richfigley
8/4/2014 11:11 EST
Do you have an idea of what rents would be in your city? Why did you choose that city?
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ron503
8/4/2014 19:11 EST
We live in Quezon City in Metro Manila, prices have gone up tremendously in the last 5 years. Rent in the area varies from P15K - P20K per month. We are renting our fully furnish 1 bedroom condo right now for P15K/month. I realize its best to rent to expats or short term tourist, rather than the locals (personal reason).
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ACEPoolPlayer
8/5/2014 07:40 EST
Ron503,
Quezon City is big. Where in Quezon City do you live? What about school for your kids? The cost?
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ron503
8/5/2014 12:30 EST
Ace,
We live in Tandang Sora QC, our twins just made 1 yr old. We intend to send them to a private school, only a mile from our home. Its been a surreal move for us, in the beginning I thought it was wrong move. But after a couple months, it made me realize that this is better for my whole family, we get to spend more time with our children. Im trying to structure my family with filipino values and american way of life. We get most of our household supplies from my family members in Seattle, WA. We send them $500, to buy necessary supplies for our home, we only do this every 6 months, by balikbayan box.
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ellenjane
8/6/2014 00:39 EST
hi all,
im looking for a tenant of a condo unit( fully furnished) in new manila, quezon city for just 20K or 460$ per month,
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