One month in Philippines (simcard, Grab, fees at ATM, etc ).

I think Smart is the best fir phone service/SIMs, but DONT buy the SIM card at the airport...instead get it at a mall, the stores at the airport will rip you off! For ATM use Charles Schwab as they will reimburse u fir all ATM fees incurred.  As far as GRAB, it's available on all the major islands like NCR, Cebu, Mactan, Boracay, Mindanao, etc.  Good luck!

Hello Laurent , welcome to the Philippines , it is always pleasant to explore new culture and different people

As for the moment , SMART simcard won't be a poor choice  though the internet speed in some locations is still poor. Sometimes, the network signal indicates 5G but still the internet speed remains very slow.

For Grab, both food and transport , sometimes Grab disappoints as you can order a meal and it takes 50 minutes or higher. Or sometimes, they will just say NO RIDDERS

For entertainment, Philippines is such an amazing place to live , several land based casino and online , currently [link moderated] is a top online brand where both visitors residents and local Filipino people go for entertainment.

Hi Laurent

Regarding SIM cards Smart or Globe is equal.

You can find Grab in large cities. In others you will experiment buses, Jeepneys, taxis and tricycles.

Avoid getting cash from ATMs. They will charge you 250P for each transaction of 10000P (rare are this allowing 20K or 40K) and you bank will charge you a few percents for the exchange rate. All in all it will cost you 4-5%.

The cheapest solution, the most flexible and possible in all the islands... Install the REMITLY app on your phone. When you need money you buy the amount you want with your bank card in your currency via the app. Within 3 minutes you can withdraw your cash in pesos from any LHUILLIER or any (longer) bank.

REMITLY takes you 2.99€ commission and less than 1% on the foreign exchange transaction. There is nothing cheaper or more flexible. I have been using this for 1 year in the Phils.

Also before you leave your country check with your bank if they allow you using your card for payments in the Phils. Some banks blacklisted the Phils. If this is the case ask them to allow you using your card during your stay here.

Also to prepare your trip visit the following blog full of good information and ideas:www.ouiphilippines.com Enjoy your trip

@Georges Laborie I agree and that is great advice. Globe and Smart are equivalent; each has dead zones in different places outside the large cities so if a person will move around in the provinces, it might be good to get both. When I get into the habit of moving money from remitly to lhullier, I will be saving a bit of money. Here in Dumaguete there are no taxi's but they supposely have grab trike. I doubt it is being used very much. In a recent trip to cebu, it seems most people used taxis and grab was not as present as it was a few years ago.

Where are you visiting? The infrastructure varies, depending on where you are, with a lot of local idiosyncracies. Dan Finn mentioned one - no taxis in Dumaguete, only tricycles and jeepneys. Same in other small cities.  But in Cebu or Manila - plenty of cheap taxis or Grab.

Globe is generally better in the cities, Smart in the province. I would get it at the airport so you have data immediately to ensure you're not (literally) being taken for a ride. Taxi drivers at NAIA can be unscrupulous, never had an issue in Cebu.

ATM's will be fine if you're only here for a month. BPI are located all over, BDO and others more common in cities. They all charge about the same, as mentioned about 250p.

Hi Laurent
Regarding SIM cards Smart or Globe is equal.

You can find Grab in large cities. In others you will experiment buses, Jeepneys, taxis and tricycles.

Avoid getting cash from ATMs. They will charge you 250P for each transaction of 10000P (rare are this allowing 20K or 40K) and you bank will charge you a few percents for the exchange rate. All in all it will cost you 4-5%.
The cheapest solution, the most flexible and possible in all the islands... Install the REMITLY app on your phone. When you need money you buy the amount you want with your bank card in your currency via the app. Within 3 minutes you can withdraw your cash in pesos from any LHUILLIER or any (longer) bank.
REMITLY takes you 2.99€ commission and less than 1% on the foreign exchange transaction. There is nothing cheaper or more flexible. I have been using this for 1 year in the Phils.
Also before you leave your country check with your bank if they allow you using your card for payments in the Phils. Some banks blacklisted the Phils. If this is the case ask them to allow you using your card during your stay here.
-@Georges Laborie

Thanks a lot Georges :-) I am going to check this Remitly application. Regarding classic ATM, I have been told on French forum that HSBC ATM charge no fee for transaction of 40.000 pesos ! Is this true ?

True from experience.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl Are you talking about HBSC ATM's as opposed to, say, PNB or Security Bank ATM's? I haven't seen any HBSC ATM's where I live.

Hi Laurent
Regarding SIM cards Smart or Globe is equal.

You can find Grab in large cities. In others you will experiment buses, Jeepneys, taxis and tricycles.

Avoid getting cash from ATMs. They will charge you 250P for each transaction of 10000P (rare are this allowing 20K or 40K) and you bank will charge you a few percents for the exchange rate. All in all it will cost you 4-5%.
The cheapest solution, the most flexible and possible in all the islands... Install the REMITLY app on your phone. When you need money you buy the amount you want with your bank card in your currency via the app. Within 3 minutes you can withdraw your cash in pesos from any LHUILLIER or any (longer) bank.
REMITLY takes you 2.99€ commission and less than 1% on the foreign exchange transaction. There is nothing cheaper or more flexible. I have been using this for 1 year in the Phils.
Also before you leave your country check with your bank if they allow you using your card for payments in the Phils. Some banks blacklisted the Phils. If this is the case ask them to allow you using your card during your stay here.
-@Georges Laborie
Thanks a lot Georges :-) I am going to check this Remitly application. Regarding classic ATM, I have been told on French forum that HSBC ATM charge no fee for transaction of 40.000 pesos ! Is this true ?
-@Laurent futur Nha Trang

Laurent I have a UK HSBC Premier account which includes credit & debit cards. There is no fee using the debit for overseas ATM withdrawals (max daily withdrawal £1K) . However this does not apply to standard HSBC accounts in which case a fee of 2% applies. Bear in mind that some overseas banks ATM's may charge their own fee. The Premier account includes a gold plated international travel insurance policy but you have to keep a minimum float of £60k in the account ($75K)

Whenever this subject comes up I shamelessly promote my alternative Chase Bank phone app debit card. Chase bank is the largest US bank and is 'muscling in' on the UK market. Coincidentally HSBC only stopped ATM charges on their Premier cards after Chase started grabbing market share. Nothing like a little bit of true competition I say This card (as a French national you will adore the Paris bleu colour) was 'bench tested' on my visit to Asia in November in both the Philippines & Indonesia. Unlike my HSBC card which sometimes gets rejected in certain ATM's the Chase card never was and gives you real time updates on the phone app. Oh and of course no ATM fees. Named UK bank of the year in 2021. Plug over

Hi Laurent
Regarding SIM cards Smart or Globe is equal.

You can find Grab in large cities. In others you will experiment buses, Jeepneys, taxis and tricycles.

Avoid getting cash from ATMs. They will charge you 250P for each transaction of 10000P (rare are this allowing 20K or 40K) and you bank will charge you a few percents for the exchange rate. All in all it will cost you 4-5%.
The cheapest solution, the most flexible and possible in all the islands... Install the REMITLY app on your phone. When you need money you buy the amount you want with your bank card in your currency via the app. Within 3 minutes you can withdraw your cash in pesos from any LHUILLIER or any (longer) bank.
REMITLY takes you 2.99€ commission and less than 1% on the foreign exchange transaction. There is nothing cheaper or more flexible. I have been using this for 1 year in the Phils.
Also before you leave your country check with your bank if they allow you using your card for payments in the Phils. Some banks blacklisted the Phils. If this is the case ask them to allow you using your card during your stay here.
-@Georges Laborie

LHUILLIER ? What is this ?

@Laurent futur Nha Tranghttp://www.hlhuillierpawnshop.com

True from experience.
Cheers, Steve.
-@bigpearl

Thanks for your answer :-)

You haven't HSBC account ?

On Google Maps, I don't see any HSBC ATM in Downtown Manila.

@Laurent futur Nha Tranghttp://www.hlhuillierpawnshop.com
-@danfinn

Then, Lhuillier shops are a kind of Western Union with fees cheaper than in ATM ?  Good. I have never seen this elsewhere in the world. Really good to know.

True from experience.
Cheers, Steve.
-@bigpearl
Thanks for your answer :-)
You haven't HSBC account ?
On Google Maps, I don't see any HSBC ATM in Downtown Manila.
-@Laurent futur Nha Trang

So much for Google maps. There are at least two in Makati (assuming that is what you refer to as 'Downtown' - remember the Petula Clark 60's hit - penned in Paris ) One at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Makati and one at the HSBC Enterprise centre on Ayala Avenue.

@bigpearl Are you talking about HBSC ATM's as opposed to, say, PNB or Security Bank ATM's? I haven't seen any HBSC ATM's where I live.
-@danfinn

Yes so true, not many HSBC branches in PH. 11/12 years ago living in Manila I would draw funds using my  OZ debit card from the regular banks to a maximum of PHP 10K and the joy of a 200 peso fee every time, discovered through an expat site that HSBC would let me draw 40K with only a 200 peso fee, that was Manila and a long time ago.

Bank accounts now for over 10 years and not used a hole in the wall.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl I see now that for free withdrawals with HSBC, you need both an HSBC account and an HSNC ATM. Virtually all banks offer free ATM withdrawals under those conditions and HSBC is not unique.

@bigpearl I see now that for free withdrawals with HSBC, you need both an HSBC account and an HSNC ATM. Virtually all banks offer free ATM withdrawals under those conditions and HSBC is not unique.
-@danfinn

In French forum, I have been told that free withdrawals with HSBC are available with any bank account...  ;-(

-@danfinn
In French forum, I have been told that free withdrawals with HSBC are available with any bank account... ;-(
-@Laurent futur Nha Trang

Now that one, I would really doubt.

I have a Halifax Clarity Credit Card which does not charge fees for overseas transactions. I do however have to pay the 250 pesos for each cash withdrawal I make from the ATM machines in the Philippines.

Are you using a Debit Card or getting a cash advance on your Charge Card?

Are you using a Debit Card or getting a cash advance on your Charge Card?
-@Enzyte Bob

A credit card so yes getting an advance on a charge card. I do always make sure I pay the balance off in full when I return to the UK. I also take a debit card with me for back up also.