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What should I pack when moving to Philippines?

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We asked people living in Philippines to list three things they wish they had brought and three they wish they had left behind. They responded...

"You can buy great generators, water heaters, and mattresses here, but surprisingly, they cost as much as in the USA. Leave winter garments, unless you're planning vacations to Europe or such. Transformers? Not where I live, which is basically Laguna. Nor should you need them in the National Capital Region. Your favorite toiletries? They have them where I live. I can even buy Vicks 44 and Robitaussin here. Some construction materials, car repairs, and kitchen equipment are cheaper, but not necessarily furniture. Cars cost the same as in the USA and are the poster child for horribly unfair wages vs prices. Once you hit the provinces on other islands, much of this goes out the window. Want to know why there are so many jeepneys and motorbikes? It's what people can afford. Sorry, getting carried away. In short, there is nothing in the USA you can't get here, whether in-store or online. One warning; traveling anywhere in the PI, bring paper or tissues. Also, even in some of the nice places, there are no toilet seats," wrote a member who made the move to Philippines.

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Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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"A lot of patience and lowered expectations. The Philippines is after all a developing/3rd world country. It takes a lot of head scratching and acceptance to live here but I still like and enjoy it. Just don't expect efficiency, fairness or sensibility among other things. It takes a while to adjust to the way things are done in the PI," explained one expat living in Davao, Philippines.

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What should I pack when moving to Philippines?

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About the Author

Betsy Burlingame Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.

Some of Betsy's articles include 12 Best Places to Live in Portugal, 7 Best Places to Live in Panama and 12 Things to Know Before Moving to the Dominican Republic. Betsy loves to travel and spend time with her family. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn.

View of Taal Lake from Tagatay, Philippines

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