Life in Philippines

Cebu or Davao. How would you be able to find work? Are you a philipino returning and have dual citzenship? A work permit is not easy to get. Only real chance is to start your own business but need a partner and capital. The call centers are being played out and unless you have some real experience in outcalls (cold calling/marketing), its not an easy task given so many locals are cheaper and hungrier.

$1500 is ok for now, but in 10-20 years, who knows what the cost of living will be like and the exchange rate. Your too young to retire. I would really think about working hard in the US for another 10 years, will still be young and hopefully have enough capital to start something meaningful.

Good advice Dhninic, we have seen a modest cost of living increace in last 2 yrs,if that continues u would need double in 10yrs, also that young entertainment is gonna cost big time.
Pete

It's really nice living in the Philippines. I love Filipino culture.

I forgot about that entertaiment cost, especially if your in Angeles!

..............

Yes, but you need a professional financial counselor, not just people who will all give you ideals on how to part you from your money. 

Really should look to what you are passionate on doing and your skills. In actuality, the Philippines is ranked very low on foreign investment due to corruption, beuracracy, anti foreign invesetment rules, etc.  I would look to Thailand before selecting Philippines for ease of setting up a business.

well I can say..settle your mine, what do you really want to do you want to work or to invest business, because earning $1500 working in call center is impossible you can get that wage,and if you plan to make business I don't think its easy for you cause your not filipino citizen, tho many foreigner owning a business in Philippines cause maybe they get married in Filipina or they take filipino Citizen, yes foods and some things are cheap in Philippines but house and electricity is too expensive,I know some country that you can have a a job with minimum $2500 a month and free accommodations for you as a western you can go to Vietnam, Cambodia, or Thailand, here in Cambodia were doing Business without any conflict,,all we do is get a business visa and the cost of living here is cheap even houses. if you want some advice in business your free to contact me,

come to Vietname, my nation...it will easier, safer and cheaper...you can live well with 600-800$/month

Don`t know much about Philipine, I`m learning what advantage to go there

Ive considered vietnam but not many people speak English in that country.I spent 3 months in Thailand with little contacts due the language barrier.

rey0123 wrote:

Ive considered vietnam but not many people speak English in that country.I spent 3 months in Thailand with little contacts due the language barrier.

you can find a expat group to be friend and work with your job or teaching english, i see many Expat work near my office, not sure how they share life emotion ...
With Philipine, I`m planning to visit there but my most concern is weather, I saw the news often warn regarding type of typhoon... not sure what city is safe place to live so far...

$1,500 a month in the Philippines to live with? Well, it also depends on your lifestyle. What about your health insurance have you think about that how much will it cost you? Will your insurance in the US will cover you overseas?

It is easy to live here as long as you know how to save and earn in many good ways...

I'm 29yrs. old too..and with our age, we still need more opportunities to find, and with this I think, the best place for you to stay in Makati, Ortigas, Taguig, you will never be jobless here..call center is ok, but you may have a better options..I can help you, maybe.. janice.licup (my skype)

If you have a stable job here, you could explore the Philippines, so better to stay in the earning place..

I envy you, you have a exciting life ahead!

Cheers!

rey0123 wrote:

Hello,
I will be visiting Manila, Angeles Cebu and Boracay. The purpose of the trip is to determine where I would like to live. I was raised in Miami FL USA so Id like to have the city feel but im not interested in living somewhere too congested.  I’m only 29 years old and plan on moving there around my 31st Bday if I like the place. In the mean time I plan on spending 60 days of the year exploring different areas of the country. I hoping someone can give me good insight what cities to consider for long term living based on:
1.    Available jobs i.e call center
2.    Affordable cost of living (will have a $1500USD a month budget; hoping to also supplement extra $ with part time job)
3.    Safety
4.    Entertainment (Since I will only be 31 I’m hoping there are plenty of things to explore)
5.    English; Im planning on learning Tagalog while there but would like to have plenty of Expats around.
Any other advice you can give me is welcome. Oh and if anyone is would like to meet up in one of those cities while I’m there let me know (15MAY-10JUN13).

Hi rey0123!

Happy new year!

I'm 35 years old and I have lived in the 3 regions of the country. I was born in Samar which is in the Central part of the philippines stayed there for quite a time but was raised in Zamboanga city (a city at the southernmost part of the country) but I am now living in Manila (specifically in taguig) as I earn a living here as a call center representative.

Living in the philippines is so easy if you work hard for a living and knows how to spend money wisely because everything is cheap especially the food. rent of house may be a little expensive but it commensurate to the salary if you have a white collar job. and I dont think its hard for you to find a job here since I know several foreigner who work here without any hassle. If you know how to speak spanish, a lot of call centers are looking for bilingual agents that you can earn as much as 50-60 thousand pesos a month. Although aside from that you can also do part time teaching if you are a college degree or have a masteral unit earned. You can also do other part time jobs like private tutorial or apply in a training school (call center training schools-which can be found mostly in metro manila). I would also suggest that you stay in Manila since you mentioned that you would like to learn tagalog. There is no other place to learn the language than to stay in the place and practice it everyday. I am also learning spanish but its hard when you do not practice it everyday. Cebu and other places that you want to settle are not tagalog-speaking places so it would be hard for you to learn the dialect except for Angeles City which I know some speak tagalog. You dont have to worry about typhoon as well, though philippines is always hit by it but its tolerable, I mean, I have been in Manila for 10 years now and I have been very safe, just look for houses for rent that has upper floor levels. I live in a 3rd floor bldg so its really safe. you just have to look for a nice place to stay. Though the southernmost part of the country is not hit by typhoon but It's not advisable for foreigners to settle there for security reasons (most especially caucasians)Business is also good here but I just dont know how does the permits works when it comes to foreigners but I know it would'nt be that difficult if you have the capital. Philippines are known to be a hospitable country and filipinos treat foreigners very kindly... You can email me if you have some questions or anything you want to know at livelaughandlove@live.com.

Regards,


Randy

Thanks rhandzable and Jantris for the great info. I will be landing in Manila on the 15th of May and would be great to meet you guys.I know its quite a ways away but I already bought my ticket and dont really have plans after I get there other than hanging out for 25 days.

rey0123 wrote:

Thanks rhandzable and Jantris for the great info. I will be landing in Manila on the 15th of May and would be great to meet you guys.I know its quite a ways away but I already bought my ticket and dont really have plans after I get there other than hanging out for 25 days.

Don't hang out with people with angelic face but with hidden agenda. They are everywhere.

Manila is the key city in the Philippines but Cebu is worth living and less congested compared to Manila and from there you can connect to many islands just like Bohol another tourist haven, Leyte, Boracay, Davao and many more. Since you're already booked in Manila then you might as well enjoy the place for you then to appreciate other places in the Philippines. Do you already have a place to stay in Manila? I have a condo unit for rent in Ortigas Center and it's a safer place to stay and lots of call center offices where u might be able to land a job. Just email me zenascleofelucero@yahoo.com if you would like to consider. I am based in Cebu and perhaps i could help you a little when you're here. Just a word of advice, be cautious always cause whenever, wherever you are anywhere in the world there are always people who would take advantage. Be careful of pretty faces but hookers.

Hey Rey..

I lived in Makati for a year and have been to all the paces you mentioned...

With your budget of $1,500 you are VERY limited as the cheapest 'liveable' budget hotels are going to be $25/day which will be $750/month and you'll only have $750 left over for food/entertainment...

Have you been to the Phils before? I have lived in both Thailand and the Phils and found Thailand to be much more affordable...

I wouldn't spend time in Manila as you're going to want to go out in the evenings and Makati will eat up your money... There might be some other areas in Ortigas/Quezon but I spent a year in Makati and only went to those areas a handful of times...

I'm heading back to the Phils Jan 28th but going down to Cebu/Bohol to start and going to travel from there...

The language barrier is definitely not an issue like it is in Thailand... but I find the cost of living to be higher... I used to live in Thailand off $1500/month in Phuket (2001-2004) but last time I was there (last March) I spent 2 months and spent about 2k/month in Chiang Mai... Makati is much more expensive as I would spend about 4k-5k/month.... If you go out for drinks and dinner at Hard Rock Cafe you can easily spend $100 in a couple hours

Anyways... Shoot me a message if you have any questions and I'll see if I can help out...

All the best!

J

dhnindc wrote:

Cebu or Davao. How would you be able to find work? Are you a philipino returning and have dual citzenship? A work permit is not easy to get. Only real chance is to start your own business but need a partner and capital. The call centers are being played out and unless you have some real experience in outcalls (cold calling/marketing), its not an easy task given so many locals are cheaper and hungrier.

$1500 is ok for now, but in 10-20 years, who knows what the cost of living will be like and the exchange rate. Your too young to retire. I would really think about working hard in the US for another 10 years, will still be young and hopefully have enough capital to start something meaningful.

Read his profile so you would know his citizenship. People nowadays  don't read before they comment.

Hello Rey,

My name is Rei, and it used to be spelled as Rey when I was in grade school until I saw my birth registration. And like you, I am turning 31 (but in six years in my case). lol

Seriously, Thailand is the better place to live in. Housing is cheaper, more available and safer than those in the Philippines. Traffic is less heavy and getting in and around Bangkok to other parts of the country is easier and readily available than it is in the Philippines. Thais are hospitable and rarely freak out and they prefer a silent neighborhood, not like in the Philippines where you hear people singing on a mic late at night (at least in the “depressed” or slum area)

Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to sway you from your plans. I just think that you should know the good and the bad before considering moving in.

By the way, since you mentioned that you had been in Thailand for quite a time, I think the best way to give you a glimpse of what it is like in the Philippines is by comparing it to Thailand (Manila vs. Bangkok: In and Around the Cities).

1. The job that's most available for Native-English speakers in Thailand is Teaching. They usually earn around 4o to 50K Thai Bhats monthly, regardless of the city whether in Bangkok or in other adjacent cities.

In (the) Philippines, I have encountered Americans training newbies in a call center, They usually work as language trainers, while there are some who occupy a higher position in a call center hierarchy (but it is never guaranteed). For you to earn as much as that you stated, well, I am not sure how much they earn but being an American is a golden ticket in a call center. Your "language skills" is enough for you to land a job in a call center.

There are many language tutorial "institutions" in Manila and Cebu. For once when I was preparing for IELTS, I enrolled at an English class in Cebu and the trainer was an American. I am quite sure he was earning adequately. So, aside from the call center, you might as well look for English tutorial classes (for IELTS or TOEFLE) for your part time gig.


2 and 3. The thing you need to know about housing in Thailand is that it is cheaper in Thailand to get a decent one than in the Philippines.

Let's take for example a friend of mine who own a condo unit for as low as 3,000.00 Thai Bhat monthly (with internet access, fully furnished, studio type). In Manila, you won't find that accommodation anywhere close to that amount. The safest and probably the most decent one you will find at the same room size (with one bed room) would be getting a condo unit which would cost you as much as 20,000.00 Pesos per month (furnished). 

By the way, as far as I know, for you to get an apartment  in Thailand, you need a local to “sponsor” your application to rent,  while in the Philippines you only need to pay IN ADVANCE for 1 month plus additional 1 month “deposit” which can be either consumed or refunded   if you decide to move out.

Apartment here is different from Condos.

In Manila, you need to know the places that are frequented by flooding during the rainy seasons (July to January). Traffic is also a major factor to consider before getting a place.  The traffic both in Bangkok and Metro Manila is heavy and both places are congested, but Bangkok is by far cleaner than Metro Manila. You would notice that especially when you take the train to get in or around the city BY TRAIN.

Bangkok’s BTS and the other one (I forgot the name) is cleaner, more SPACIOUS, safer from pick pockets, more efficient, and maps are available for free in every station. In Metro Manila, it is the complete opposite.  It is very evident during rush hours (7-8AM, 11AM-12:30 Noon, 5-6:30PM ) when you literally have to shove your way in and out of the train.

It is safer and cheaper to get a cab in Thailand. In Metro Manila, they know you are not from the place and it is quite uncommon (not rare) to get a driver who is honest and kind enough to charge you fairly. But it is not all that bad, I mean the fare, but do be careful when the driver takes you to dark places. You might consider jumping off the cab, as one tourist did 6 years ago. Bystanders, thankfully helped him,  but the driver was never caught.

I had experienced strolling along the places in Thailand at around 11PM until 3AM and never got robbed nor worried about my safety, except a time when a stray dog barked at me and I literally had to cross the high way for my own “safety”. Don’t try that in Metro Manila, especially when you got boozed.


4. I am not exactly sure what you meant when you correlated being 31y.o. to exploring, but I am assuming you meant you have the energy for adventure. You can find that in Thailand. You will notice that in the Philippines you will have to travel from an island to another to experience the adventure you look for. Thus, the traveling part can be tiresome, but it will be worth it. It is cheap and you will find that it is refreshing when you get there. 

There are travel agencies in the Philippines that can help you arrange for your trip and accommodation at a cheap bargain. Just be advised that plane tickets usually are cheap if you carry one hand carry luggage, but you can rack up charges for additional luggage. 

5. Learning Tagalog is easy. I’ll leave that to other contributors to help you, as I had never experienced being with other expats to learn that language. I learned the language since I was young. However, you can always pm me if you need some insights on how to say English sentences in Tagalog. I’ll give you the literal and “conversational” translation.

PS. For call centers, give Cebu or Manila a try. For tourism, definitely not Metro Manila, but connecting flights are easier there.  The US Embassy is located along Roxas Blvd in Manila.

Hello Everyone,

  I figured since I received so many useful postings on this forum I should reply with an update. Since I posted this forum I've visited Philippines twice and decided to live in Cebu. I'm currently living near Robinson Mall (Ramos area) and find that $1500 USD is plenty of money to live well here. My largest expense is my condo which happens to a very nice furnished studio apartment for 19K a month. I find that if you eat at mom and pop type restaurants and take Jeepmies or walk instead of taxi's my money is stretched a lot further. Anyways, Id like to say thanks to everyone for the feed back and if anyone wants to meet for coffee or a beer let me know.

can i ask you where you found a furnished apartment for $19K in cebu? are there more apartments like yours available for rent?

Hi Rey,

how's cebu?

never been to cebu, maybe we'll check it out when we go for vacation this year,

Theres a couple in the building Im living in but theyre going for 25K near Robinson Mall. The other nice ones that I was looking into are located in Lahug and where going for 20K. My land lord has another apartment going for around 18K but the furniture is a bit outdated. I will send you a private message with her contact info.

Hey Jericho, Cebu is alright. Everything is really inexpensive and there lots of bars clubs to go to. The food selection is pretty good. Traffic can just as bad as Manila it seems but pros definitely out-weight the cons.

that's nice to know.... thanks....

Hi Rey,
Kumu sta.
I see u settled by now well in Cebu, i guess u meet a lot of expats as well.
I was wondering if you have any ideea about salaries for expats in hospitality management (hotels) ie. food & beverage manager or director in hotels/resorts, would luv to hear about it.
I am for the last 3 years living & working  in Caribbean and luv Philippines (been there about 10 times a tourist) and i am looking to come with a job there  & going forward to retire there.
I know for sure won't get the same package like in here, but as well know the cost of living is muuuuuuch cheaper than here.
Was approached for  a position to open a 5* hotel in Boracay  but i refused it (even though i luv the island, been there few times), the package seem to low for me: USD $2500 net a month, plus single accommodation on hotel grounds and usual expat package ie. health insurance, flights

Now i was approached again for another position in Cebu City, higher position, much bigger property and responsibility.
In the package is included accommodation on hotel grounds, food and beverages. I do travel with my wife and they know and accepted.
Wanted to get a feel about salaries and if is realistic as i will not go for any position less than USD 4000 net/ month plus expat package ie accommodation, tickets, health insurance etc.

Thanks for your help,

Claudiu